Different: The Story of the Black Sisters
by Nymphadora Florida
Summary: Flavian and Desdemona Black already had two daughters...and ended up with another one. How will they cope with three of them and nobody to carry on the Black name?
1. Prologue

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Prologue

With one last push, Desdemona Black pushed a tiny baby into the world. The only thing that she didn't want to know at this moment was the gender of the child…

"Mrs. Black, you are now the proud parent of a healthy baby girl!" exclaimed one of the St. Mungo's trainees.

"WHAT?" she shrieked, kicking her legs around. "I WENT THROUGH TWENTY FOUR HOURS OF LABOR AND I GET A GIRL? AHHH!" she screamed, her hands clenched into fists as she slammed them down on the thin mattress. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, FLAVIAN!" bellowed the enraged wife at her husband, her face purple. "AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE AND YOU GIVE US THREE GIRLS IN A ROW! DAMN YOU! CURSE YOU! YOU ARE A WASTE OF PURE BLOOD!"

"Now, Mrs. Black…it's not that terrible…she's healthy, see?" said the healer, holding the newborn baby up in his arms for all to see. Peach-like blonde fuzz was draped over her tiny little head.

"NOT THAT TERRIBLE? NOT THAT TERRIBLE? WHAT ARE MY PARENTS GOING TO SAY! YOU…YOU SON OF A BLUDGER! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" she said, turning to face the healer.

"I'm not the one who determined the gender of the baby!" defended the healer.

"FLAVIAN DARIUS BLACK NAME IT! RIGHT NOW! I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER…"

"Mrs. Black…you're going to have to nurse her…" said the trainee quietly.

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" she squealed, "SHE IS NOT MINE!" and with another blood-curdling screech, chest-heaving, Desdemona Black started crying, tears cascading down her face.

"Could you leave us with the babe and give us a moment alone for a minute?" asked Flavian, taking the child from the healer's arms.

"Yeah…we'll leave now. Good luck," said the healer, patting him on the back as he left.

Flavian rubbed his wife's back. "Shh…" he said comfortingly, "it'll be alright."

"How can it be alright? Look at her…she's…she's…"

"She has the beauty of her mother…" whispered Flavian, handing the sleeping baby over to her mother.

"I c-can't h-hold her…"

"Yes, you can…you've done it two times before."

Desdemona cradled her baby in her arms and let her nurse. "What are we going to name her?"

"Hmm…well…she's already had to fend for herself…she didn't get your love right away…and my great-grandmother's name was…"

"Welcome to the world, little Narcissa."

"Do you think we ought to call Bellatrix and Andromeda up here from the waiting room?" asked Flavian.

"Yes. They ought to come up here and meet their little sister."

"I'll go get them."

Ten minutes later, Flavian, four-year-old Bellatrix and two-year-old Andromeda showed up inside the room, only to find Desdemona and Narcissa asleep; Narcissa in Desdemona's arms.

"Daddy…is that the new baby?" asked Bellatrix, her shoulder-length black hair trailing behind her.

"It most certainly is, Trixie."

"Baby…" murmured Andromeda, reaching out her toddler hands to touch the baby.

"No, Andie. Don't touch the baby."

"Want to touch…"

"I said no," said Flavian firmly.

"I want to."

"Don't."

"I want to."

"Andie…"

"Why?"

"Because you'll wake her up."

"I want to talk to Cissy."

"Yeah…I want to talk to Cissy, too!" said Bellatrix indignantly, putting her toddler hands on her toddler hips.

"Leave them both alone or we'll all go home!" said Flavian, pulling the two girls away from their little sister. They both tried to overcome his grasp and reach out to their peach-fuzz sister. "They'll be home in a few days, I promise. And then we'll all have a party to celebrate!"

"How long is a few?" asked Andie.

"A few is three."

"And how many hours is that?"

"About 78."

Andie crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not leaving."

"Come now, children, we're flooing back home."

"Already, daddy?"

"I told you, Bellatrix, they'll be coming back soon."

"Goodbye, Cissy," whispered Bellatrix.

"Bye-bye, Cissy," said Andie, waving goodbye.


	2. Chapter One: Bellatrix Betrothed

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter One:

Bellatrix Betrothed

Three young girls sat in their mother's dressing room. The eldest, Bellatrix was seven, Andromeda was five, and the youngest, and Narcissa was three.

"Oh, mum…you look beautiful," said Bellatrix, smoothing her mother's jet black hair. "Your hair…it's just like mine…"

"That's right, Trixie…you'll find that you and I are the only ones with the same hair gene."

"I wish I had black hair," said Andromeda enviously. She stroked her own shoulder-length curly brunette hair.

"Oh, but Andie, you have the hair of your grandmother," said Mrs. Black, taking the small child by the hand and letting her sit on her lap. "Here…I'll show you a picture of her…Kareem!" she trilled, calling one of the house-elves.

"Mistress?" asked the tiny creature, suddenly appearing at her sight.

"My family photo album, please."

"Right away, Mistress."

"Now, girls…each of you look like a different member from pure-blood families across England…"

"Mummy?" asked little Narcissa, tugging at her mother's dress, "I don't want you to go to the party. I don't like staying her with Trixie."

"And why ever not, little Cissy?"

"Because…because…" started the timid toddler as her oldest sister shot her an evil look. "I don't feel safe without you two here!" she bawled, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart…go talk to dad," said Desdemona lazily, pushing the child out of her room and down the steps. "Now, my two oldest daughters…" she started, flipping through the family album. She pulled out one of the oldest pictures held inside. "Here is your great-great-grandmother, Mrs. Nigellus…"

"He was a Professor at Hogwarts…wasn't he?" said Bellatrix, recognizing a picture next to the one her mother was holding up…a man with a twirled moustache and slicked back hair stood next to a woman with curly brunette hair.

"He was the least popular Headmaster at Hogwarts, yes. But, none the less, he is your great-great-grandfather…and he has the same hair as you, Bellatrix."

"I thought you had the same hair as me."

"You have black hair on both sides, but mine is wavy and his, your great-grandmother's, your grandmother's and yours are all bone straight."

"Let me see my hair! Let me see my hair!" demanded Andromeda, bouncing up and down.

"Alright…alright…you have your great-great-grandmother's hair, Andromeda. Her hair was silky, curly, long, and light brunette; as you can see in this small portrait of her," said Mrs. Black, giving the picture to Andromeda, who wouldn't stop staring at her great-great-grandmother. "Alright…your father and I have to go to the party now…" said Mrs. Black, closing the photo album. She stood up and picked up her yellow satin dress.

"Ready, Dessie?" asked Flavian, heading up the stairs with his tiniest daughter in his arms.

"Well, what an interesting accessory," said Desdemona, pointing to Narcissa.

"I had better drop her off first."

"I hope so. She's not coming to the party with us."

He gently dropped Narcissa onto her bed, turning off the lights and closing the door after himself.

"Now, girls…be careful. We're going to put a locking charm on all the doors so that nobody can get in. The house-elves have all been instructed to stay up until we return, and they have also been instructed to make sure you both get to bed. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes mum," chorused both the girls.

"Goodnight, Trixie. Goodnight, Andie," said their father gently, kissing both their foreheads.

"Ah…I see most of our pureblood friends are here…" said Flavian.

"Of course they are…it's only purebloods at this. Makes me happy that we don't have to worry about muggle-lovers or mudbloods here…"

"Dance with me?" he asked her, inviting her to join the other slow-dancing couples.

"Sure," she said, accepting the invitation as he led her onto the dance floor.

The lights were dim and a cello, a piano, and a violin played a slow ballad. All Desdemona heard was the music and couples whispering to each other softly.

"I'm sorry we have three girls, Dessie," said Flavian, kissing her forehead whilst they danced.

"Well, I'm afraid we're cursed. There's no use in trying to have another one."

"You know what we have to do now?" he asked her.

She smiled evilly, "Marry them off…"

"Exactly…and we'll start with Bellatrix…tonight."

"Tonight? But she's not yet eight!"

"The sooner she's betrothed, the less time for her to get mixed up in a relationship."

"I like how you think. I'm thinking our parents were smart to put us together. Since you're smart…and I'm brilliant…we make the perfect team," murmured Desdemona.

"I know of a family with a boy three years older than Bellatrix…" said Flavian softly, pointing over to the Lestranges on their left.

"The Lestranges? They barely have a penny to their name!" said Desdemona, appalled that her husband would say such a thing.

"They have tens of thousands of galleons at Gringotts! You don't call that rich?"

"But we have _millions_ of galleons! They have _nothing_ compared to us! And you're the one that manages the budget! I'm ashamed of you! To think you would ruin the Black name by marrying them off to one of the Lestranges! We have to find a suitor for Bellatrix that's better than this boy you speak of!" said Bellatrix, practically spitting out the last sentence.

"Would you rather that I marry them off to…hmm…the Weasleys?"

Desdemona choked on her own spit. "What? Marry them off to _them_? They might as well be a family of mudbloods and squibs for all the muggle-loving they do!"

"Well, Lestranges it is, then," said Flavian, quite pleased with himself.

"Fine, Lestranges it is," she said, still a bit disappointed, but hopeful that her next daughter would be married to somebody worth while…perhaps a Malfoy…

Flavian and Desdemona ended the dance early and headed over to where the Lestranges were sitting. It was high time they discussed business.

"I'm not tired yet, Kareem!" shouted Bellatrix, her hands crossed over her chest.

"Now, now, Mistress Bellatrix, it's under your parent's order that you sleep now. Are you going to go to be yourself, or am I going to have to do it for you?" the tiny house-elf demanded.

"Can I at least read?"

"What are you going to read, Mistress Bellatrix…Kareem was thinking you don't know how!"  
"I know how! Father taught me! And that's why I have a vast vocabulary for my age!" exclaimed Bellatrix, upset at how a _house-elf_ of all creatures was questioning _her_ intellect. He probably didn't have more intellect than a gnome!

"And what exactly are you going to read, Mistress Bellatrix?"

"I love maps, if you care. I'm interested in them…learning about them…"

"Ah…geography…an interesting subject…but too muggle for your parent's liking. Kareem suggests you find something interesting to read."

"And what do you have in mind?"

"Just a little something Kareem was given when Kareem was just a wee house-elf of seven…"

"You knew how to read at seven? How interesting. I should think house-elves didn't have near human intelligence to read until they were thirteen."

"Kareem finds Mistress's sense of humor enchanting," said Kareem sarcastically.

"I'm glad you like it," said Bellatrix bitterly.

"It's past your bedtime."

"It's past yours, too."

"Kareem doesn't have a bedtime."

"Well, then…neither will I."

"Mistress Bellatrix will get in her pajamas!" shouted Kareem, opening her drawer and pulling out her soft black pajamas. With a wave of his hands, the pajamas instantly replaced her day clothes. "Do you want Kareem to tuck you in, too?" asked Kareem patiently.

"No," shouted Bellatrix.

"Kareem will anyways, since little Mistress is too stubborn for her own good…" said Kareem, unfolding the covers a few feet away and pushing Bellatrix into them. "Goodnight, young Mistress."

"Goodnight, Kareem…" said Bellatrix sourly, turning off her candles. She knew in her head she couldn't wait to get away from this house.


	3. Chapter Two: Desdemona's Last Wish

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Two:

Desdemona's Last Wish

It was a cold gray night in December, one of the coldest the mansion had experienced for several years now. In fact, the castle had normally been bright and cheery; three young girls lived in that house, at the ages of ten, eight, and six.

Bellatrix had wandered down the spiral staircase in the mansion to get a glass of water. _'It's only near midnight,'_ she thought as she cautiously walked down the stairs, _'The house-elves should be awake for another hour…'_

As Bellatrix headed to the kitchen, she heard voices in the living room…

"This is your entire fault, Flavian!" shrieked Desdemona.

"You're going to regret this later! You'll regret you even confronted me at all when you're dead!" growled Flavian.

"I'm the source of the children! I'm the reason…"

"You most certainly are the reason that we have three of them that are _girls_ no less! Disgracing my family name! You know, I was the favorite back then! And then they married me to you! And it all went downhill from there, didn't it! Three girls in a row! Damn, Desdemona, you daughter of a bludger! _Crucio!_"

Bellatrix snuck a peak at her feuding parents peaking over the kitchen table.

"_Protego!_" yelled Desdemona, shielding the curse as it bounced back to her husband. "Ha! I can tell that hurt you!" she said in triumph.

"_You _will do as _I _say, I have all the power!" he shouted, Bellatrix could see him sweating.

She shivered…why was her father sweating? Bellatrix was freezing! She could even see her own breath as she breathed.

"You _evil_, _evil_ man! How dare you insult me like that!"

"I will insult you every which way I please! I'm not the one whose name means of the devil and of misery! _Crucio!_"

He caught her by surprise this time, and she fell, crumbling on the living room floor. She panted and shivered and got up.

"Stop it this instant!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong with you…you've never hurt me like this before…"

"That's because I used to love you! _Crucio!_"

Her mother collapsed onto the floor again, holding her stomach. "Can't feel…" she whispered, "I thought you loved me…"

"I never loved you, you pure-blood scum! Are you ready to die?" he said, an evil grin appearing on his face.

"Wait! Wait! Aren't I allowed to give you my will and last wishes?"

"You have no will to speak of…all your belongings are mine now. But you are allowed a last wish, so think good and hard about it. Take your sweet time!" he uttered sarcastically.

"Alright…alright…" she started, panting and shivering…her own sweat was freezing on her forehead.

"Well?" he demanded, wand at the ready to commit the murder.

"My last wish…my last wish…my last wish is for my three daughters to be married to noble and ancient pure-blood families in England. And however you have to do it…whether to Lestranges or Malfoys…do it…and make sure it gets done!"

"_Avada Kedavra_!" shouted Flavian, anger rising in his eyes.

Bellatrix wanted to scream…to do anything and get her father locked up in Azkaban…but that would be betrayal…and there was nothing worse than betrayal in a pure-blood family.

He sat there, holding Desdemona's corpse as if watching it fade to black. "Gods, what have I done! What have I done! What a monster I am! Damn me…damn me…damn me…"

Bellatrix swiftly ran up the stairs. She was going to wake the girls.

"Andie…Cissy! Wake up! Wake up!" she whispered, opening their doors and taking them each to her room.

"What is going on, Trixie?" replied Andie groggily, falling back upon Bellatrix's pillows.

"I'm tired…" said Cissy, rubbing her eyes and curling up next to her sister.

"I've called this meeting on purpose," said Bellatrix, locking the door against her father.

"Well, out with the news then…"

"Mum is dead."

"What?" they both said together.

"Bellatrix…you can't tell us that…that…" sputtered Andie.

"I saw dad kill her."

Narcissa started to cry. "I don't believe you! You lie!"

"I'm serious, guys. I was in the kitchen…they were fighting over us…fighting that we are all girls…and no boys…"

"That's silly, Trixie! Really, that's rubbish!" exclaimed Andie.

"Do you want to go downstairs and see our mother's rotting corpse?"

"No…"

"Then believe me…I saw her die!"

Andie's soft brown eyes grew big and filled with tears. Narcissa was cuddled up on Andie's stomach, crying her heart out. Bellatrix felt her own eyes fill with tears as the three sisters cuddled.

"We are going to get through this. We are! We're Blacks! We're strong! We can do this…"

"You're going to Hogwarts next year, you aren't going to have to fend for yourself against a murderous father!" raged Andromeda.

"No…but hell, Andie, you know what mum's last wish was?"

"Gods…tell me…"

"She wants us all to get arranged marriages to pure-blood men. Do you understand me, Andie? _We have to get married to pure-blood men_! You have to _promise _ me that you will!"

"I can't! What if I fall madly in love with a mudblood?"

"Then you face it and move on, Andie! Put your hand on top of mine! And you, too, Cissy…"

The three girls piled their hands on top of each other.

"We, the black sisters, Bellatrix Desdemona Black, Andromeda Desdemona Black, and Narcissa Desdemona Black make a decree and a promise. Now, repeat after me…Andie…"

"I, Andromeda Desdemona Black make a promise to marry a pure-blood man, whether I love him or not."

Andromeda cautiously repeated the words.

"Now, Narcissa…"

"No! I can't do it! I can't do it!" she pouted.

"You're going to do it, Narcissa! You have to do it for yourself and for us! Now, repeat after me…"

"Repeat after me…" she repeated.

"I, Narcissa Desdemona Black…"

"I, Narcissa Desdemona Black…"

"Make a promise to marry a pure-blood man…"

"Make a promise to marry a pure-blood man…"

"Whether I love him or not."

"Whether I love him or not," she finished repeating.

"Now, for the decree of the Black family. We, the only three sisters of The Noble and most Ancient House of Black: Toujours Pur; say this decree in honor of our most brilliant mother who has passed away on this, the 22nd day of December. We promise to uphold our oaths to pure-blood men, so help us God."

Flavian Black woke up the next morning on the rug, next to his dead wife. He was going mad, he knew it…he couldn't take care of these three girls. He couldn't face himself. When he opened his eyes, he saw a dozen house-elves crowded around him.

"Grumpy, don't be ridiculous, _he_ killed _her_ because _he_ is going mad!" exclaimed the head elf.

"Kareem…Kareem…what have you seen?" the house-elves chanted to their leader.

"Kareem has been having visions…Kareem has seen Young Mistress Bellatrix down here and watch…" squeaked Kareem.

"Kareem…do you lie to us?" squeaked one of the female house-elves.

"Kareem knows all…Kareem knows all…" he said.

"Get away from me, the lot of you!" yelled Flavian.

"Uh-oh…murderer is awake…" said one of the house-elves in a high, falsetto voice.

They all broke out into lecturing him. "You bad! Bad Flavian!" and, "Why did you kill your only love, the one that brought you the three girls?" and, "Doom on you! Doom on you!"

"Damn the lot of you!" he raged. "It's none of your damn business what's happened and none of you have enough human intelligence to figure anything out! Leave me alone…bury her in the backyard…leave me alone…never to tell…"

The house-elves were in shock. They gathered around Desdemona and together, they picked her up. Flavian apparated out of the house to work…leaving his three daughters to fend for themselves.


	4. Chapter Three: Their Start At Hogwarts

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Three

Their Start at Hogwarts

_Dear Dad,_

_As you know, I started my term at Hogwarts last year. And now that I'm a second year, I'm starting to think about boys. My question: Can I date somebody? I mean, it won't be serious or anything…just somebody to go to the Christmas dance with…and somebody to go to the Spring Fling with now that I'm of age to go. So, please, daddy? Please? I promise you don't have to give me anymore gold for allowance if you don't want to._

_Please think about it!_

_Your Loving Daughter,_

_Bellatrix D. Black_

Andromeda took the small parcel from Trixie's owl…let down that it was addressed to her father.

Flavian Black didn't exactly love either her or her sisters…he was mad by now. He kept thinking that his wife was alive…though he killed her a few years back. Andromeda wished she'd had a mother…somebody to talk to when Bellatrix wasn't around. She wrinkled her nose as she thought of Bellatrix.

Bellatrix (in her opinion) deserted them. Deserted her. Left her alone to care for a very scared six year old at the time…and now she didn't even write.

_'At least she comes home for Christmas and spring break,'_ thought Andie as she pounded down the stairs to her father's sitting room.

"Dad…this just came from Bellatrix," she said, handing him the letter.

He only grunted. "What does she want?"

"I don't know…I don't read your mail…"

"Your mother reads my mail. She always does," he was off topic…and his words were slurring again. Andie looked into his goblet. Firewhiskey. Great. He'd been drinking.

She started to head back up the stairs when he started yelling. "NO, BELLATRIX! I WON'T LET YOU DATE ANYBODY! STOP BEING STUPID…I'VE ALREADY GOT SOMEBODY FOR YOU!" he bellowed. Andie stopped dead in her tracks. Bellatrix already had an arranged marriage? But…she's only twelve!

_Dear Bellatrix,_

_I'm afraid father couldn't write this message back to you…he's been drinking again. Though…he did give me the name of your betrothed. Yes, you are twelve (lucky) and at Hogwarts (lucky) but he told me you are betrothed to a man in sixth year…by the name of Rudolphus Lestrange. They are (obviously) pure-bloods…so if you know him…it might do you some good to start dating him whilst you can and see if you can acquire some love._

_Your Loving Sister,_

_Andie_

Bellatrix sat in the Slytherin Common Room, reading the letter over and over. Engaged? To a…a…_Lestrange_? There had to be some mistake, there just _had_ to be.

She glanced over her shoulder at the tall, black-haired young man. Okay, so he wasn't ugly. At all. He was actually kind of cute. He was tall, and thin, and his face was the perfect shape.

She walked over to his armchair. "Hello Lestrange," she said bitterly.

"Oh, it's you. My betrothed," he said, rolling his eyes and looking away from her.

"You know we're betrothed?" she questioned.

"I've know since I was twelve. If you think that we're going to go off snogging in the corner, you're wrong. Way wrong. I wouldn't be caught dead snogging a second year."

"Well, if you don't mind, I'm not about to snog you either. Look, I just wanted to tell you that my father…"

"That drunken bludger?"

"Don't you _dare_ call him that!" said Bellatrix, her temper flaring.

"Go on, Bellatrix dear…"

"Don't call me that! Anyways…my father sends word that he wants us to start dating. You know…you might actually enjoy me…"

"You're crazy. You're not yet thirteen! That's bloody crazy! I'll date you when you turn thirteen."

"Good, I turn thirteen in two months."

"October 13th?"

"You got that right. And _you're _going to take me to Hogsmeade with you," said Bellatrix, smiling evilly.

"Oh no I'm not! You don't even have a permission slip and can't go!"

"I didn't say _legally_. Look, there's a secret passage on the fifth floor. Leads to Honeydukes. Don't ask me how I know this…I've just got sources. So, on my thirteenth birthday, you are to take me there and we'll go to Hogsmeade."

"Bugger! I'm not doing anything you want me to do!"

"Want me to owl your parents? Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange: Your son has been treating me terribly. He won't take me anywhere, won't snog me…I'm feeling very left out! Perhaps you could…"

"Fine, I'll bloody take you there, but you _can't_ tell anybody…especially not my friends that we're dating or sneaking to Hogsmeade or anything, alright?"

"Like I would tell them anyways…"

"Do you understand me?" he asked sternly.

"Fine. But then you owe me a good snog."

He groaned. "Fine."

"Andie…read me a story…" said Narcissa, as she lay in her bed with pillows propped up behind her.

"One from a book or…"

"No…I want you to make it up."

"Okay…erm…let's see…once upon a time…there were three princesses. The first's name was…uh…Princess Bella…and she was the oldest of all the princesses. The second one's name was…Princess Meda, and she was in the middle. The last one's name was Princess Issa. Their father, King Flavor, and their mother, Queen Desiree lived in harmony for quite some time. But a mysterious force drove King Flavor to destroy his beautiful wife, Queen Desiree.

"The three princesses had no idea what to do…the Queen was dead, and their father who they used to love so much was insane.

"Now, the three Princesses were smart and sensible, so they ran away to a far away land, and lived together in a bigger castle than their old one; waiting someday for their handsome Princes to come and take them away. When Princess Bella turned eighteen, a knight in shining armor and his noble black steed drew his sword, and declared his everlasting love for the beautiful Princess Bella. The two of them rode away; and the last two princesses were still stuck in the tower, waiting for their loves.

"When Princess Meda turned eighteen, her brunette hair was soft and smooth as silk. When her prince came, he cried, 'Princess, beautiful Princess, please let me come up and see you!' and the Princess replied, 'But valiant sir, you have no steed and nothing to climb up to get here!' The Prince was distraught. 'Princess Meda, Princess Meda, let down your curly hair so that I might climb up it and rescue you!' And so, only Princess Issa was left in the tower.

"Princess Issa was the most beautiful of all the Princesses, and she began to fantasize about her sisters when she received an invitation to a ball by the prince of the kingdom! And since Princess Issa was so resourceful and desirable, she charmed the vines so that they would form a ladder for her to climb down. And after Princess Issa climbed down the ladder, she took out her luxourious pink gown from the top of the tower, putting it on and wearing it to the ball. She and the Prince fell in love and lived happily ever after; just like her sisters! The End."

"Goodnight, Cissy," said Andie, preparing to turn out the lights and head to her room.

"But…Andie!"

"Yes, Cissy?"

"Will I meet my own Prince Charming and live happily ever after?"

"Cissy…I'm sorry. That story is just made-up. Things like that don't actually happen. Not in our world at least…"

"What's different between our world and the mudblood's world?" asked the curious Narcissa.

"Cissy…in our world…there is no love. Only lust and heirs. We cannot marry for love…we meet the man we will marry and that is that."

"I wish I could marry for love."

"I'm sure you'll grow to love the man once you get used to him."

"Goodnight, Narcissa."

"Goodnight, Andromeda."

"Pleasant dreams."

It was at this time that Andromeda Black figured a few things out.

She was not going to marry for blood.

She was going to marry for love.

Bellatrix awoke from her dormitory at dawn…it _was_ her birthday after all…and later she knew she'd enjoy a free snogging session, courtesy of Rud. She called him Rud because Rudolphus sounded too long.

She quickly dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. Only she and Professor Dippet were seated…nobody else was present. He stared at her with watchful eyes…as if knowing what she was going to do later that day. She looked up from her scrambled eggs to see him.

"Good morning, Professor Dippet," said Bellatrix.

"Good morning, Ms. Black. Sleep well?" he asked politely.

"Exceptional. You?"

"Marvelous…even if Fawkes kept me awake for several hours. He's a phoenix you know…a rather exceptional one, I might add. He burst into flames last night and was reborn quickly from the ashes."

"Interesting," lied Bellatrix. She could care less about some silly phoenix named Fawkes.

The young woman was very surprised when Professor Dippet joined her at the Slytherin table.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, Bellatrix?" he asked gently, his eyes twinkling.

She paused for a moment. "No, sir…why?"

"Nothing…it just isn't like a normal twelve-year-old girl to get up about five in the morning on a Saturday…"

"I've got business to attend to…"

"What sort of business…"

"Look, Professor Dippet…I don't want to be rude or anything…but it's my business…strictly my privacy. And you're intruding it right now. So if you'll excuse me, I will go attend my business, thank you, Professor," said Bellatrix slamming her spoon down, flipping her hair and leaving the Great Hall. She felt his eyes upon her as she left. _'Does he know about today? About Hogsmeade…damn…I would give anything for an invisibility cloak right now…'_ thought Bellatrix as she headed down the stairs and back to the Common Room.

"Good morning, my dear," said Rud as she slid through the canvas tapestry.

"Oh, hello."

"Ready for today?" he asked her, grinning.

"Are you serious? I've been waiting forever to be a teenager. And today, I get my first long snog."

"Hmm…I hope you'll find it pleasing."

"Well, I'm not going to snog anybody else my entire life…"

"True…I guess you have no choice but to like it."

"Shall we?" she asked him.

"We shall," he answered, lacing her hand inside his as they headed out of the dungeons.

"Lestrange, Black! What are you doing up so early?" asked Professor Simon, the Potions teacher and head of Slytherin house.

"Just heading down to the Great Hall for a bit of coffee and eggs, Professor," said Rud a little too quickly.

Professor Simon passed by…whispering something in Rud's ear, "The secret passage on the third floor will lead you to the Deserted Shack. You know…for some privacy…but be careful, the ceiling's cracked and a bit sloped in…watch your step…"

"Thanks, Professor."

"I won't tell anybody of your whereabouts."

They headed off again, now to the third floor. They both passed a miss-colored brick…

"I bet this is the one…" whispered Rud. The brick read _Adnitor appello adbuco dehisco. _It was obviously in Latin.

"You take Latin?" I whispered to him.

"Eight years. It says 'Press here to open'. Hmmm…" said Rud, pressing hard on the brick. Slowly, the brick turned around to make a doorway for two people to get through. Once the two of them were inside, the doorway quickly shut and the brick turned right side up again.

"Lumos," muttered Bellatrix.

"You know that charm? I thought nobody learned that until third year!"

"My father taught it to me. He said I'd need it when I was scared at night. Though my dad's insane…he's really not that bad of a father."

"My dad is. He never taught me anything. All my mother. He only sticks around to watch me grow up."

"I'm sorry. I don't have two parents either…I…"

"You…what?" asked Rud, his eyes boring into mine.

"My…my mother's dead. She uh…she was murdered," said Bellatrix a little shakily.

"That's not the whole story, is it?" asked Rud strangely.

"You know what? Nobody cares about the whole story! Nobody in _hell_ cares about the whole damn story…so why do you?"

"If I'm destined to spend the rest of my life with you, then I might as well know all the details."

"Well, we've got our entire life…"

"But I want to know this now, Bella."

"What did you call me?"

"Bella. It means beautiful in Italian."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Marvelous. You're beauty is very…striking. There. You don't exactly have the classic button nose, soft blue eyes and blonde hair. But, you strike me as a Bella."

"Um…thanks?"

"Look…we're here…" said Rud as they both saw the light of day again and walked up the stairs.

The 'Deserted Shack' as the villagers called it was one of the weirdest things Bellatrix had ever seen. The outside was gray and shabby…but the inside was warm and bright. And though it was a crisp day in October, the second the two of them walked in, it seemed to have warmed up quite significantly.

The floor was made of soft pine wood; obviously worn from decades upon decades of use. The walls in the vast entrance hall were lined with girly, flowery wallpaper—Bellatrix shuddered. Obviously, whoever wallpapered the room first was definitely out of their mind.

Rudolphus led Bellatrix up the rickety staircase and through the hall to the library.

"Can you believe that couple that lived here actually left all these books behind?"

"Why'd they leave?" asked Bellatrix, trying to find the title of a book underneath decades of dust.

"Nobody knows…but that won't keep us out…" said Rud grinning.

They found a cozy couch in the middle of the room. Rudolphus kissed Bellatrix, first politely…as if waiting for her permission. She kissed him back, and after a while, they became part of an in-depth snog session.

Bellatrix lost track of the time after a while, and they both were only reminded of it when both their stomach's started growling.

"Has it really been that long?" whispered Rud.

"I d-don't know…" stuttered Bellatrix.

"You know…you're pretty good at this, my Bella. I mean…you're only a second year, and you've never snogged anybody before…"

"I'm only good because you are," said Bellatrix, blushing fiercely.

"Do I see some color in those pale cheeks of Bella?" whispered Rud, nibbling on her ear.

"Rud…stop!" giggled Bellatrix, caressing his face.

"We've got to head back," he said grudgingly, as he stopped nibbling on her ear.

"I er…I think I'm starting to like you, Rud. And you snog really well…"

"Er…thanks? We ought to come up here again sometime. And when you're older, we'll go further…" he said, winking at her.

They headed back under the trap door, hand in hand.

_Dear Miss Black,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Students shall be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival, the date for which shall be duly advised._

_Please ensure that the utmost attention be made to the list of requirements attached herewith. _

_We very much look forward to receiving you as part of the new generation of Hogwart's heritage. We expect your owl no later than August first confirming that you will attend._

_Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titllandos_

_Armand Stone_

_Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts_

Andromeda Black excitedly pushed the first letter back into its envelope and pulled out the second one.

_First Year Students will require: _

_Three sets of plain work robes_

_One plain pointed hat for day wear_

_One pair of dragon-hide gloves_

_And the following set of books:_

'_The Standard Book of Spells' by Miranda Goshawk_

'_A Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' by Phyllinda Spore_

'_A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot_

'_Magical Theory' by Adalbert Waffling_

'_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' by Emeric Switch_

'_Magical Drafts and Potions' by Arsenius Jigger_

'_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' by Newt Scamander_

'_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection' by Quinten Trimble_

_All students must be equipped with:_

_One wand_

_One standard size pewter cauldron_

_And may bring if they desire, either an owl, a cat, or a toad. _

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

"Cissy, Cissy! I've been accepted into Hogwarts!" shouted Andie, her face red from jumping up and down on her bed.

"Shocker there," said Narcissa groggily, waking up to yawn and stretch.

"D'you think Dad'll take me?" she asked excitedly, sitting down next to Narcissa.

Narcissa laughed. "Are you kidding? Never. He's too…well…insane to take either of us anywhere! If you know what's good for you, I suggest you owl Aunt Adrienne and see if she is taking cousin Sirius."

"You're very resourceful for a nine-year-old."

"Thanks. You aren't too bad yourself. Happy Birthday, by the way."

"It's good to be eleven on June 12th."

"Owl her, then. I'll make breakfast…if I can find Dad's wand…"

"It's where we put it yesterday…on the kitchen counter. And why do you want to make breakfast? The house-elves can do that!"

"I know…but it makes no sense…they take forever…and I'll just do it in a few minutes. I'm going to clean today too…the house-elves aren't doing the best of jobs…"

"Why are you so obsessed with being a house-wife?"

"Because. I just like it, okay? And when I'm married to rich, wealthy, handsome, and pleasurable pure-blood man, you'll be jealous that I like to clean and that my house looks better than yours!" defended Cissy, poking her finger in Andie's ribcage.

"Whatever, Cissy."

"I'll be downstairs."

_Dear Aunt Adrienne,_

_First off, how are you? I haven't seen you in a while, how are Sirius and Regulus? _

_I've decided to owl you because I got my Hogwarts letter today…and I was wondering (since Sirius and I are the same age) if I could go with you and Sirius to Diagon Alley to get my school things? Dad's been really busy with work lately…or else I'd ask him. Please respond as soon as possible!_

_Your Niece,_

_Andromeda D. Black_

Andromeda sealed the letter and sent it with the family owl, Accursius. She sighed and looked at her letters again, grinning. _'I'm going to be at Hogwarts! And with Bellatrix, no doubt! Three months and I'm out of here!'_ she thought happily; as she head a familiar tap at the window fifteen minutes later.

_Dear Andromeda Desdemona,_

_I'm doing fine, thank you. Regulus looks and acts just like his noble father…but we are concerned about Sirius; he's not exactly acting like he's a pure-blood._

_I'm taking Sirius to get his school things tomorrow, and Regulus is coming with us. Narcissa Desdemona can come if she wants as well; just to see everything. I can't believe that little Bellatrix Desdemona is going to be a third year! I hardly can remember when I took her to get her school supplies. I send to brooms for you both to fly over here, the weather is perfect for flying. _

_See you soon._

_Adrienne Tristana_

_From the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black_

"Cissy! Cissy! We're going to Aunt Adrienne's house…" called Andie.

"We're what?" questioned Cissy from the stove.

"We're going to Aunt Adrienne's house. Now. She sent us two broomsticks to fly! We've never flown anywhere before, isn't this exciting?"

"Um…sure…um…how do you fly a broomstick?" asked Narcissa timidly.

"You don't know how to fly a broom?"

"Er…no…"

"Damn. We'll never get to the Black's mansion now."

"Oh, calm down. I'm the resourceful one, right? Which means I can do anything I put my mind to. Now, let's find out about this broomstick, shall we?"

The two of them headed out into the backyard, two 'Comet One-Hundreds' in hand.

Flying over the beautiful British countryside was everything that Andie had dreamed of; she loved the thrill of flying with Bellatrix before their father confiscated their brooms from them.

"How much longer?" asked Narcissa sourly.

"Only a few more minutes, I see their mansion now!" yelled Andromeda back.

"Good, because I'm freezing!"

"What?"

"I said I'm freezing!"

"You're such a baby, Narcissa!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Shut up and swoop down after me, there's the house!"

The Black Mansion was hardly how Narcissa imagined it at all. It simply looked like a deserted muggle shop. The only ting that gave away that a wizarding family lived there was the door knocker in the shape of a twisted serpent. Andie timidly knocked on the door thanks to the knocker.

Inside, they heard a screaming noise… "Mudbloods! Creatures of scum!" it shrieked.

"I'm bloody coming! Shut up mother!" yelled Sirius, opening the door at last. "Cousin Andie! Cousin Cissy!" he said, hugging them each.

"Is your mum around?" asked Andie, peeking through the doorway to look for her.

Sirius grimaced. "Yeah…she's downstairs…"

"Wow…you've a nice set-up here!" exclaimed Cissy, looking at the vast entrance room.

"Yeah…well…it's home. Mum! The girls are here to see you!" Sirius called, pushing his two cousins down the stairs.

The appearance of Mrs. Black was none whatsoever like Sirius's. Her round, pug face, tiny button nose that pointed upward, and small, frowning mouth would be enough to scare anybody away. Her long black hair was tied back in a braided knot at the back of her head, a few strands loose from the day.

She was dressed like she was still living in the 1800's; her bodice was very tight and her skirt fanned out at her hips. All in all, she was quite the odd looking witch, very scary and striking.

"Sit down, girls. I'm afraid we have some business to discuss," said Mrs. Black, not bothering to look up from her papers.

She took her eyeglasses off and looked up.

"Hello, Aunt Adrienne, Narcissa and I were wondering if…" started Andromeda politely.

"I don't want to hear it. I know you forgot your Gringotts key at home. The nerve of you girls! I thought you'd both be responsible enough to find the…"

"Um…Aunt Adrienne…we didn't forget our…" started Narcissa.

"To find the key. And now, you're going to ask me if you could borrow some of _our_ fortune? Not a chance! We have the Black fortune and it's not going to be spent on some first year's supplies…"

"AUNT ADRIENNE, WE HAVE THE KEY!" shouted Andromeda, her heart pounding.

"Well, there's no need to get upset about it. You could've told me!"

Andromeda and Narcissa looked at each other. Now they realized why their mother was never in close contact with her sister…she was a nightmare.

"Now, onto other things. Your financial statement…"

"Financial statement?" questioned Andie.

"Don't interrupt me, child, or I shall have to hurt you."

Cissy cowered and shivered at these words.

"As I was saying. Your family has never been in debt before…but as of next week, all of the land at your estate belongs to the bank."

"But…father's always paid everything…never missed a payment!" objected Andie. Mrs. Black lowered her glasses.

"Have you been monitoring his intake of firewhiskey, Miss Andromeda?" she said in an interrogating voice.

"I'm eleven years old! I can't worry about my father, he should be worrying about me!" said Andromeda hotly, shooting up from her chair.

"You've been taking care of your little sister for two years now! It's high time you learn about business! If you don't, I'm withdrawing your acceptance from Hogwarts!" shrieked Mrs. Black, shooting up from her chair like Andromeda.

"I CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MY FATHER'S MISTAKES! IT'S MY LIFE AND I'M GOING TO LIVE IT!" Andromeda bellowed.

"YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUCK IT UP AND PAY FOR HIS PROBLEMS!" raged Mrs. Black.

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU GO CALL HIM? HE IS YOUR SISTER'S HUSBAND! HE'S RELATED TO YOU, YOU KNOW WHETHER YOUR SISTER IS ALIVE OR DEAD!" screamed Andromeda; Mrs. Black was only feeding her rage now.

"YOU SCRAWNY LITTLE PIECE OF WORK! I KNEW THE MOMENT THAT DESDEMONA HAD YOU…YOU'D BE A LITTLE…"

"WELL, DESDEMONA'S DEAD NOW! SO IT'S NONE OF YOUR CONCERN WHETHER I GAVE HER A HELL OF A LABOR OR NOT…"

"SHE IS NOT DEAD!"

"WANT TO BET? BELLATRIX WATCHED FATHER KILL HER WITH THE KILLING CURSE!"

She'd spilled it all. And now, Flavian was going to end up in Azkaban…

They stood there glaring at each other for quite some time, angers flaring and all. After quite some time, Mrs. Black spoke in a low voice.

"What did you say?"

"I said that Bellatrix saw father kill her," said Andromeda shakily.

"I can't believe this. This is made up…a fairytale…"

"You want to go to Hogwarts and ask Bellatrix herself?" Andromeda demanded.

Aunt Adrienne paused for a moment as if considering something. "You sound exactly like her."

"What?" said Andromeda slowly.

"You sound exactly like your mother. I remember her telling me one night that she knew she was going to die…she knew that Flavian was going to kill her. When exactly did Bellatrix witness the event?"

"December 22nd, three years ago."

Andromeda looked into her aunt's eyes and knew that she finally understood.

"I'm switching your guardianship and Narcissa's to your Aunt and Uncle on your father's side. Another wealthy Black family…but you've never met them. Uncle Alphard and Aunt Elladora are their first names. We'll floo back to your house, leave a note for your father and you'll never look at his face again."

The new beginning was going much too fast.

Author's Note: In Latin, _Desdemona _ means 'of the devil' or 'misery' as Desdemona was the wife that Othello murdered, and I thought it'd be appropriate to make Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa's mum to be called that.

Flavian means blonde, and as Narcissa is blonde…

Adrienne means rich, wealthy, and dark, and Sirius's mum represents all three of those. Her middle name, Tristana, means sad and insane.

I've really worked hard on this story, so please review! Thanks!

Hedwig1991


	5. Chapter Four: Breakthroughs

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Four

Breakthroughs

Andromeda and Bellatrix sat in one of the compartments in the Hogwarts express on September 1st. They looked over at each other and smiled.

"You think Cissy's adjusting well to staying at Uncle Alphard and Aunt Elladora's?" asked Bellatrix.

"How would you know? I'm the one that's been with her since you left. And yes, I think she's adjusting quite nicely…she's happy that there aren't very many house-elves for one."

"Why does she love cooking and cleaning so much?" demanded Bellatrix in a rude tone.

"I don't know. How should I know? In any event, she says it'll help her when she's married to a pure-blood man and has nothing else to live for but to keep a happy home. Do you know she's read Utopia already?"

"Utopia? I didn't read that until I was twelve!"

"I just recently read it…but you've got to understand, Trixie…she's brilliant! She's got to be the smartest girl of her age! Can't we just abolish the marriage law? I mean…I don't have anybody picked out for me…and well…"

"Don't you know? I picked out your man last year. My darling Rud picked him out. His name's Marcus Flint…and he's going to be in the same year as you. Pureblood with a family history of Slytherin."

"But I'm not going to marry him!" defended Andromeda, "I'm going to meet a man that loves me for who I am and not my blood!"

"What? Don't you remember the pact we made when we were little?"

"But that was a long, long time ago…and I really don't think…"

"That's right, Andromeda, you don't think. At all. You're going to marry Marcus Flint; I've already arranged it with his parents. I'm going to go to see darling Rud…and I'm bringing you with me to meet Marcus."

"I'm not going to go with you! The last thing I want to see is you being all mushy face with _'darling Rud!'_ she said in a falsetto tone.

"I do _not_ call him darling Rud! And we aren't _mushy_…we're _fierce_ in our snogging sessions…"

"Too many bad mental images!" said Andromeda, knocking her head with her hands.

"Fine, but you're coming," said Bellatrix, grabbing Andromeda's hand and pulling her out of the compartment.

Narcissa Black looked out her window of the desolate British countryside and sighed. She wished she could be with her sisters at fairytale Hogwarts instead of trapped inside this hellish piece of land in the middle of nowhere.

"Narcissa, dear, please come down to lunch! The house-elves have prepared this splendid meal for us! And don't forget to wear your formal clothes!" trilled Aunt Elladora.

Aunt Elladora's mother (also named Elladora) had started two family traditions in her time:

All meals must be attended in formal attire

You must always behead a house-elf when it gets too old to carry tea trays

Narcissa thought both traditions were stupid and worthless, but nonetheless had to obey them.

"Narcissa! Are you even listening? Get in your formal attire and come down here now!" she trilled again.

Well, at least Aunt Elladora and Uncle Alphard liked her. Maybe even loved her.

She got dressed into her formal attire (which she wasn't too fond of…but it could be worse), a white, Cinderella type dress; from the hips down: puffy and yellow with beading, and from the top: pink flowers with beading. An expensive diamond necklace littered her white-fair skin. She threw her white-blonde hair up in a half-ponytail.

Narcissa climbed down the creaky wooden stairs, lifting up her dress as she went.

"There's my blonde, my beauty, my Narcissa!" said Elladora. Narcissa hated it when she called her that. "So, I trust you slept well…since you didn't get up until eleven!" said Elladora, laughing haughtily at her own joke.

"I slept well, thank you. And you?"

"Alphard and I were up all night…discussing your future."

"My future? What future might I possibly possess?"

"A hand in marriage to one of the greatest pure-blood families in all of England."

Narcissa politely hid her sarcastic grin as she picked up a piece of dragon meat with her fork.

"Lucius Malfoy has asked for your hand in marriage."

Narcissa choked on her food. "Excuse me?"

"Have you not heard of the Malfoys?"

"I…I have heard of them. It's just…just odd, don't you think? I mean, me, a tiny little girl of nine already betrothed to one of the purest families in all England?"

"I don't think it's that strange. I mean, I knew I was betrothed since I was seven…and your lovely sister Bellatrix was betrothed before she turned nine. It's not that bad, dear Narcissa, you should consider yourself lucky."

"Oh…but I do! I truly do…how much older is he than me?"

"He's seven years older than you."

Narcissa swallowed one last morsel of food and stopped to stare at her aunt.

"What? He's _seven _years older than me? I won't even _meet _him until my wedding day!" exclaimed the outraged Narcissa.

"Oh, but dear, you'll learn to love him!"

"I can't!"

"You will or else we'll scratch your name off the family tree!"

She downcast her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to get scratched off the family tree.

"You don't want that, do you, Narcissa?"

"No ma'am," she replied numbly.

"That's exactly what I thought," said Aunt Elladora, an evil grin appearing on her face. "So…what were your plans for this evening?"

"I don't have anything planned," said Narcissa skeptically.

"Good. We're all going to a chamber music concert."

Narcissa groaned inside. She hated chamber music. She would've rather rotted inside her mother's grave then go to one…she would've rather listened to Celestina Warbeck.

"Do I detect a bit of loathing, lovely Narcissa?" asked Elladora, her voice coated over with sugar.

"No ma'am."

"I believe I do. Well, if you don't want to go out with us, than we'll just leave you here with Thurman to watch the house…"

"No, I didn't mean…I mean…I'll go…if it makes you happy…"

"Good, be in your other formal attire by seven!" said Elladora excitedly.

"May I be excused?" asked Narcissa politely.

"Yes, you may."

"So…um…Marcus…"

"Call me Marc," he mumbled, twiddling his thumbs as Andromeda attempted to talk to him.

"Right. Marc…what um…what house d'you think you'll be in?"

"Slytherin," he muttered.

"Oh. That's um...interesting. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No."

"Well, sometimes it's nice to be an only child, you know? I've got two sisters…and they can be a pain sometimes…"

She glanced over at Bellatrix; who was _still_ snogging that idiot Lestrange, and now, Lestrange was underneath her as they furiously snogged on the compartment seat.

"Um…I'm going to go back to my compartment again…"

"Ok."

"D'you mind if I leave?"

"No."

"Okay. Well…it was er…nice to meet you," said Andromeda politely, outstretching her hand to shake his. He looked her in the eye and her smile faded. "Right. Well…bye then…" said Andromeda shyly. On her way out she punched Bellatrix's shoulder.

"Ouch!" said Bellatrix into what's-his-name's mouth.

"What?" he asked her, looking up at his girlfriend's mouth; swollen from kissing.

Bellatrix sat up and turned around, to see a grinning Andromeda. "Damn you," whispered Bellatrix. Andromeda shrugged.

"Love you too, sis."

Armand Stone, a tall thin man with a brunette moustache led the first years across the lake and into the Great Hall in a single-file line. He read the rules about the Sorting Hat, and called the first name…

"Black, Andromeda!" he shouted clearly. Timidly, Andromeda walked towards the patched hat as Professor Stone dropped it on her head.

"Ah…yet another Black…hmm…quite embarrassing to your family, aren't you? Not witty or cunning….or sly for that matter…this one's going to disappoint your dear sister…" said the hat in her ear.

Andromeda was startled. _'Please put me in Slytherin! Oh please oh please oh please oh please oh…'_

"No, no, definitely not…you are definitely _not_ a Slytherin. Hmmm…Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?"

_'Not Hufflepuff…oh goodness no! Please don't put me in Hufflepuff…_' thought Andromeda desperately.

"Not Hufflepuff? Well, I can sure see a smart girl like you saying no to that…RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

Andromeda was flooded with relief. She heard whispers around her…no applause…and the Slytherin table glared at her as she walked past it to the Ravenclaw one.

A boy near her motioned her to take a seat next to him. "Thanks," muttered Andromeda.

"No problem."

The feast commenced after Zurich, Gerard had been sorted.

"I'm Ted by the way, Ted Tonks. And I know who you are," said Ted, introducing himself to Andromeda.

"Oh really," said Andromeda sourly, "enlighten me."

"Andromeda Desdemona Black. Middle child. Two siblings, Bellatrix Desdemona and Narcissa Desdemona Black. Your mother and father's names are Flavian and Desdemona Black; but Flavian went mad and killed your mother when you were just eight."

"How the _hell_ do you know about that?" demanded Andromeda, looking him squarely in the eye. He flushed.

"I read up on the Black family when I found out you'd be attending Hogwarts this year."

"So, you're not a first year?"

He laughed; a nice warm chuckle. "No, I'm a second year."

Andromeda blushed. "Oh," she said. "I'd like it if you could call me Andie. Andromeda's just too formal for my taste," she said shyly.

"Okay, Andie it is then," he said, warmly smiling.

Narcissa sat at the end of her bed late at night after the chamber concert. Everything had gone wrong. Why did everything in her life have to be so screwed up?

They'd done this to her. She was only nine years old after all! Why should she have to meet _him_?

Lucius Malfoy and his parents had met them at the chamber music concert. He was alright, 'simply _dashing_' from Aunt Elladora's point of view. He wasn't simply dashing. Not to her at least. She had a terrible flashback in her mind…

_"Oh, look who it is Narcissa! Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and your betrothed, Lucius! What a happy coincidence!" exclaimed Elladora._

_"What a pleasant…surprise. It's very good to meet you, Lady Narcissa," drawled Lucius. Narcissa could tell he was trying to hide back laughter as he kissed her hand._

_"A pleasure to meet you as well, Lord Malfoy," replied Narcissa, curtseying. _

_"Well, we are about to take our seats…where are you all sitting?" asked Alphard. _

_"It appears we have the seats right next to each other! How lovely…" said Mrs. Malfoy, glaring at Narcissa. "And it seems that Lucius and Narcissa will be seated next to each other! Imagine that! I guess the bloke at the ticket office knows how to place his purebloods…"_

_The six of them proceeded to their reserved box. _

_During the show, Lucius grabbed Narcissa's hand and started kissing it, she pulled it away. He grew angry with her, and pinched her shoulder with his fingers hard enough to make it bleed. She wanted to cry out, but knew that if she did…nobody would believe her story._

_As if her shoulder wasn't bad enough…he started caressing her face harshly; making her eyes fill with tears._

_Nobody knew and nobody would know about it ever…and she had a sickening feeling that as she got older, he would treat her worse and worse…and worse…and worse…_

She ended the flashback as she flopped down on her bed in her pajamas. Narcissa buried her face into the pillow and cried herself to sleep.

And then she realized that she was going to be different. She realized that being a pureblood was a responsibility that nobody should be forced to make.

But she was different…she was a Black.

It was a sunny day in January when Andie Black decided to roam the grounds and explore it a bit. She nearly walked out of the large front doors…

"Good morning," said Ted Tonks politely.

"Morning," mumbled Andie.

"I was wondering when you were going to be up! I just went for a jog across the grounds at seven."

"They let you do that?" asked Andie.

"Uh-huh. I just take out my jogging shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes and go jogging. It's not that hard, you know. You want to come with me tomorrow?"

"Well…it sounds nice and all…but I'm not really a morning person, Ted."

His face fell, and brightened back up again. "Oh, right…well…"

"D'you want to go swimming?" asked Andie, staring out to the frozen lake.

"Er…now? The lake's frozen…isn't it?"

"No…I meant…never mind…"

"Well…it's sort of cold in January…if you know what I mean…just chilly enough for a crisp jog in the morning…but…yeah. Okay. Right. Um…I just had an idea! Have you ever been ice-skating?"

"What's ice-skating? It sounds dangerous…"asked Andie skeptically.

"Oh…we could do it this afternoon."

"Do what?"

"Ice-skating."

"Oh, right. So, what is this, again?"

"Well, it's a muggle sport actually. Very popular in America. Anyways…it's like wearing boots, but on the bottom are long, thin pieces of medal. It's like…walking or gliding on ice…but it's much more fun. I could ask my brother, Frank, to transfigure a pair of your shoes into ice-skates."

"Sounds good, then. So, will you just wait in the common room? Or should I bring my shoes out or…"

"Well, you should probably see if you've got some jeans or something lying around…"

"Oh, right…"

"And a sweater, because it'll be cold outside…"

"Yes, I knew that. Okay. So I'll meet you in the common room?"

"Yeah at about noon, okay?"

"Okay."

"Right…"

"Bye."

"Bye."

Ice-skating (as Andie learned) was much harder than it looked. As she tottered onto the ice, she watched Ted glide around in his hockey (whatever hockey was) skates. He laughed as he watched her.

"Having fun?" he asked, trying to hide a chuckle.

"Not yet, but I'm sure you'll brighten things up for me…"

"Here," he said, gliding over to her, "link your arm in mine. Good, now pretend you are marching."

Andie marched with ease.

"Good, now rub your left skate up against the ice and shift your weight over to the other side, like this," he said gently, demonstrating.

"I've got it!" shouted Andie triumphantly.

"Yes, you've got it…"

"I did it! I'm ice-skating…" she said, unlinking her arm from Ted's. She skated all the way around the rink with her hands behind her head.

"Want to learn some tricks?" asked Ted as he watched Andie freeze.

"Umm…sure…" she replied timidly.

"Okay…so…pick up some speed with each foot…"

"Like this?"

"Right. And then, when you pick up a good amount and you feel comfortable, pick up your weaker foot and stretch it out behind you…"

He didn't need to say anything else, just stood in the middle of the rink and watched her go, hoping to high heaven that she wouldn't fall and hurt herself…it'd be all his fault if she did.

Ted's eyes widened. Her leg was stretched out behind her, forming a perfect 'l' shape. She attempted to lift her leg up by her skate…and…succeeded? He couldn't believe his eyes. _Nobody_ was able to do that the first time out!

Andie released her leg slowly and stopped. "What're you staring at?" she questioned, taking short breaths from the thrill, he watched her grin.

"What do you mean, 'what am I staring at'? Andie, do you even know what you just did?"

"Why? Was that like, some ice-skating break-through or something?" asked Andie, laughing.

"Well…nobody's ever done that first time out. Not even my mum…and she almost went to the Olympics."

"Really? I liked it, the feeling…it just felt right to do that…so I just…did it…"

"And that was really amazing."

"Thanks. I think we'll have to come out here next Saturday. Know any good jumps?" she asked him, laughing as they walked off the ice and tore their skates off.

"Well, there's this one jump that no woman's been able to do yet…"


	6. Chapter Five: Andromeda Gets Blasted

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Five:

Narcissa Joins and Andromeda gets Blasted

It was a perfect night for Narcissa, her sisters were all over her, telling her stories of their first two years…Narcissa couldn't wait to experience hers; and all three of them would catch the train to Hogwarts tomorrow.

"The boys are so fun to _look_ at…" said Bellatrix breathlessly.

Andie punched her arm gently. "You already have a guy, what are you complaining about?"

"Well…Rud's nice and all…but…well…it's always good to window shop!"

"Trixie!" squealed Andie, doubling over with laughter.

"What?"

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say!" said Andie, flopping down on her bed.

"Am I supposed to follow this?" asked Cissy.

"Oh, little Cissy…you are quite the lucky one…" said Andie enviously.

Cissy wrinkled her delicate little nose. "And why am I so lucky?"

"You are so lucky you won't meet the son of a bludger you'll marry until your wedding day."

"I've already met him," said Narcissa simply.

This caused her two sisters to sit up. "What?" they both asked curiously.

"Yeah…I've already met him…not that great, though…"

"Oo…what's his name?" asked Trixie excitedly.

"His name is…"

"Yes?"

"Is…"

"Out with it…"

"Lucius Malfoy."

Trixie and Andie squealed with delight. "Are you serious?" asked Andie.

"The Malfoys are the richest, oldest, and purest pure-blood families in all of Europe! Are you _serious_, Narcissa?"

"Yes," said Cissy grimly, "I'm serious."

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Trixie.

"No, it isn't."

"Why ever not?" asked Andie, now at full attention.

"Well…he kind of did this stuff to me when we all went to the chamber music concert a few years ago…" started Narcissa, repeating the story.

"Woah…he was really that mean to you?" asked Andie, eating a chocolate frog.

"Yeah…yeah…he was. I hate him. I never want to see him again."

"Don't you get it, Cissy? You don't have a choice! None of us have a choice! If they abuse us, we _can't tell anybody_, do you understand me? _You can't tell anybody_!" said Trixie harshly, shaking her eleven year old sister.

"I haven't told anybody other than you guys!" defended Cissy.

"And nobody else can know. None of us can ever report our future husband's abuse to us, no matter how tough it gets, alright?" asked Trixie harshly.

"Fine," said Andie, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yes, Trixie."

"Nobody must ever know."

"Rud, are you sure?"

"All the pure-bloods are in on it. My entire family and yours, too. It's only normal that we do this."

"And…you don't think Dumbledore will catch us?"

"That old coot? Naw…he'll be too busy doing other things. Besides, the Dark Lord will make sure this goes through," replied Rudolphus at quarter to midnight.

"When's the first meeting?" asked Bellatrix.

"In fifteen minutes. You know how to apparate, right?"

"Ever since you taught me two years ago."

"Alright…I want you to think of an abandoned muggle club. Hold my hand and I might be able to help you apparate…"

Bellatrix and Rudolphus apparated out of the Slytherin Common Room with a small _pop_.

"Trixie? Trixie are you in here?" asked Cissy, getting up out of bed as the lightning woke her up. She walked over to her oldest sister's bed. It was perfectly made…not even slept in yet. "Lord Voldemort," she whispered softly. "Trixie and Rud are with Lord Voldemort…damn…they're Death Eaters…"

Andie Black sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room at midnight, finishing her potions essay that was due tomorrow.

"Monkshood…" she muttered to herself as she flipped through her potions book. "The properties of are used in most common potions…" she muttered to herself.

"Hello Andie," said Ted quietly, walking down the stairs in his t-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"Good Evening, Ted," said Andie, looking up from her potions essay to notice her best friend.

He laughed as he realized what she was doing. "It's midnight, Andie. You should be asleep."

"Well, at least I _finished_ mine instead of having a master plan to flirt with the potions teacher…"

"I do _not_ flirt with Professor Naiveté!" said Ted indignantly, taking a seat next to Andie.

Andie shook her head. "Boys," she muttered under her breath.

"So, are you going to go to sleep or should I watch you until you do?" he asked.

"It's my life! Since when do you care?" demanded Andie; when she was tire, the tiniest little thing could tick her off.

"You are really pissed."

"Yeah? You think I'm pissed _now_? You wait until I'm through with you, Theodore Tonks, you'll regret…" she started yelling, Ted leant over and kissed her lips.

"Pissed off enough?" he asked her softly.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

"For being my friend when nobody else would," he said quietly. "You liked it?"

"Was that your first kiss?" she asked him, blushing as she lowered her head.

"Yeah…it was yours too, wasn't it?"

She smiled. "Want to do it again?"

"I think that'd be perfect," he replied, touching his lips to hers gently.

They kept on snogging until they saw the fire blow out.

"We'd better get some sleep," said Ted, breaking away. "But I want to ask you something."

"Shoot," she replied, looking into his eyes, "but I don't want a marriage proposal…"

He laughed and then continued. "Will you be my girl?"

"Well, that's a step in the right direction…"

"I take that as a yes?"

"Yes."

"Goodnight, Andie."

"Hey, Ted?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't say anything to anybody…world travels fast around here…and the last person I want to know about this is…"

"Bellatrix," they said together.

"And Marc."

"Who's Marc?" questioned Ted.

"Long story."

"We've got time."

"He's my…er…betrothed."

"What?" he asked slowly.

"It's different when you're a pure-blood. I was betrothed when I entered Hogwarts…look…it means nothing, okay? It's just for blood, and I don't like him or anything…so please don't hate me for it!"

She said this all very fast…as if waiting for Ted to blow up at her. "I'm not upset. I just didn't know. Are you made fun of because of your bloodlines?" asked Ted.

"No. I mean, they didn't before I was sorted into Ravenclaw. But…no pure-blood has ever been sorted into Ravenclaw…and…"

"You don't have to say anything else. Personally, I'd rather be in your position than in mine. Nobody in my family has ever done magic, and none of them know what I'm talking about when I try to explain about it…"

"I'd rather be you. In my world, everybody knows everything about magic that there is to know. And what nobody else understands is that you have a 'tradition' to uphold. Especially if you're a girl. You have to date a pure-blood, be courted by a pure-blood, get married to a pure-blood, have at least one pure-blood boy, you can't have a job, and you have to feed everybody. Life for me couldn't get anymore damn hard."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Look, I'm tired…remember…don't say _anything_ to _anyone_, okay?"

"I promise."

"Goodnight Ted."

"G'night Andie."

"I can't believe we actually did it!" said Bellatrix happily as they apparated into the Slytherin Common Room.

"'Course we did! You know how proud this makes me, Bella?" he asked her, snaking his arm around her waist as they tottered to the couch in front of the fire.

She lifted up the sleeve on her left arm. "I don't know, but it sure was hell when they branded it on. It still hurts…"

"I'll fix that…" said Rud, tracing circles around the outside edge.

Bellatrix sighed. "That feels damn good…"

"I would envelope you in a fierce snogging session, but we've got to get some sleep…tomorrow's the potions final…and you know we can't miss that."

"Just one kiss?" she begged.

"You know it won't be just one kiss, Bella."

"Then several…please?"

"Fine…"

Bellatrix walked up to the girl's dormitories…

"Where did you go?" a small voice demanded in the dark.

"Who's this?" asked Bellatrix, her wand lighting up as she spun around to see Narcissa's face lit up on her bed.

She grabbed hold of Bellatrix's left sleeve and pushed it up, gasping loudly as she stared at the dark mark.

"Narcissa Desdemona! Damn that you're up this late! Damn it all! I hate that you're such the…"

"You went to be one of Voldemort's followers, didn't you? I told you not to do that, Bellatrix! You cold get in big trouble! Since when do you…"

"Since when are you Aunt Elladora? Hmmm? Telling me what to do? I'm fifteen and a half years old! I can take care of myself…"

"Apparently not, or else you'd be responsible!" growled Narcissa.

"You're only eleven; you don't know what it's like to live! You haven't even kissed anybody, or broken a curfew, or…"

"Yeah, but, newsflash! I love you, Bellatrix, and since mum's dead and dad probably is, too, I'm going to have to act responsibly on your behalf! Damn you, Trixie!" she said, pushing Bellatrix into her bed as she stormed off to her own.

"Great. Now my little sister's telling me what to do," said Bellatrix to herself. She was having a breakdown and she knew it.

What she'd witnessed that night was different than everything else. There were already 20 Death Eaters including her. She wished she could rewind her life and do today over again…but she couldn't get rid of her new-found status with the Dark Lord.

Andie Black had been dating Ted Tonks for just over a one year now, it was almost summer…which meant she was almost a fifth year, Bellatrix was almost in her last year of Hogwarts, and Narcissa was almost a third year. It was time.

Time to tell everybody that she wasn't going to marry Marcus…and that she had been dating a muggle-born.

The three Black sisters arrived at their Aunt Elladora and Uncle Alphard's house for the summer.

"Oh, girls, give me a kiss!" said old Aunt Elladora, her hands on Narcissa's shoulders as she kissed Narcissa's cheeks. "Well, come in, come in! I can't wait to hear all about your year at Hogwarts…"

And then she spotted Bellatrix.

"Oh, Bellatrix, dear…you look exactly like your mother. You are absolutely stunning!"

So, that would make Andromeda…

"Oh. Hello Andromeda," said Aunt Elladora, not even looking at her. "You look okay. So, Bellatrix…tell me all about your _darling_ Rudolphus! You must be very excited to get married to him in just a year…"

"Oh, yes, Aunt Elladora!" said Bellatrix, a note of sarcasm in her voice. Aunt Elladora didn't notice.

"Well, everybody sit down, sit down!" she said, motioning to the large table in the dining room. "So, Narcissa. Enjoying yourself at Hogwarts?" she asked her pleasantly.

"Yes. I really like learning about charms and transfiguration."

"Good, you'll need both when you're a mother. I just got word from your dear Lucius, he's waiting for you patiently…though he says that he'd hope you'd hurry up and be eighteen!" Aunt Elladora laughed. "He's such a sweetheart, isn't he?"

"Yes," said Narcissa, trying to hold back laughter.

"Rudolphus has been such a dear as well," said Bellatrix sarcastically. Aunt Elladora didn't get sarcasm.

"Oh, really? You two will make a great married couple! You'll produce me an heir, won't you?"

"Uh…why not…" said Bellatrix, looking over at the other two, who were also trying to hold back laughter.

"Good. I wouldn't want anybody to not get married and not keep the line going. That would extremely barbaric and useless. Don't you girls wish that everybody was pure-blood? I mean, if there were no mudbloods, then we'd all be pure-bloods and our way of life could be sustained forever."

The girls simply stared back at her, eyes blinking. "Well, I suppose you are all too young to care about that sort of thing."

"Well, I've got an announcement to make," said Andromeda. She knew it was time to tell them about Ted. "I'm…um…" she suddenly faltered.

"Yes? Go on with it, Andromeda…" said Aunt Elladora disdainfully.

"I'm dating this guy…"

"Yes, we know you're dating Marcus Flint, Andromeda, you don't have to tell us…" started Bellatrix.

"Never mind this. You all are scheduled for a portrait sitting this afternoon. I have your dresses all picked out for you in your rooms. You'd better get ready; the painter will be here soon…"

The three girls headed up to their separate rooms quickly.

Andromeda stepped into her old room. It was musty, and had the smell of mold on the walls. She wondered why her room was like this, considering that Narcissa's and Bellatrix's were perfect.

She opened the closet to find one red evening gown that was absolutely hideous. The shoulder capped sleeves came down to her elbows, and an ugly pair of red gloves hid everything that the dress didn't.

"I am _not_ wearing this," she said to herself, pulling out her wand. She muttered a transfiguration charm and watched the sleeves and gloves disappear. A small owl flitted around her window.

_Dear Ms. Black,_

_You have hereby broken the rules of underage wizardry. Since you are fourteen years of age, and not sixteen (the year in which you are allowed to use magic), this is your first warning. If you use magic during the summer holidays or any other time you are not attending Hogwarts whilst you are underage again, we shall come and snap your wand. _

_Sincerely,_

_Madame Hopkins_

_Underage Wizardry Department_

_Ministry of Magic_

_London_

It was good that she'd transfigured her dress in one charm, or else she'd be in trouble. There, now the dress was suitable.

Opening the door to her old bedroom, Bellatrix stepped inside and smelled in the scent of the Black house. She slowly walked over to her old closet.

Inside was a long, midnight black evening gown and that was it. Bellatrix shuddered…she knew that if anybody found out she was a Death Eater (besides Narcissa and Rud, who'd _sworn_ not to tell anybody), she'd be caught by the ministry and she knew it.

She thanked the gods that she was sixteen as she transfigured a pair of socks into long gloves made out of snakeskin.

Much better.

It was nothing more than Narcissa was used to; she just wished she got a new one like Andie and Trixie. It was her old dress from when she was nine…grown to fit her. It was boring and safe, and she hated how she looked in it. Point given, she didn't have much to show off (she was only twelve), but still…something more daring or at least more interesting than that of the yellow and pink flower dress that was five years old.

Aunt Elladora watched all three of them sit on the bench in the courtyard, her arms crossed over her chest. She was outraged at them! Especially Andromeda! She'd picked out the perfect dress for the annoying little fourteen-year-old whom she hated. And she transfigured them! Andromeda Desdemona was a disgrace to the family name. A Ravenclaw! Who in the _world_ was a Ravenclaw and a pure-blood? That was crazy talk, but Andromeda had managed it.

The only one that pleased her 100 was Narcissa, who always did what she was told. Andromeda was always rebellious and Bellatrix always wanted the center of attention and always got her way. Like today. She'd added a pair of inappropriate black snakeskin gloves to that elegant black halter-top dress Elladora picked out for her.

"I think Ms. Bellatrix can go in the middle," said the artist, pushing her over to the middle of the bench. "And you can go here, Ms. Andromeda…and yes…push that strap down…there…and Ms. Narcissa…there you go. Alright, now just hold that pose for about fifteen minutes and this portrait can hang in your living room for ages…that's it…here we go…" said the artist, taking out his wand as he started painting.

"How long do I have to stay like this?" asked Andromeda through smiling teeth.

"I don't know," said the grimacing Bellatrix.

"Would you two move over, you're hogging half the bench!" said Narcissa, who was sporting a frown.

"And fix your shoulder strap, would you, Andie? It's really annoying me…" said Bellatrix.

"How about you shut your mouth and show everybody your Dark…"

"Okay! Okay! All done! Bella! It is a masterpiece!" said the artist.

"Beautiful. Excellent job," said Aunt Elladora, handing the artist a bag full of galleons.

"Look, Aunt Elladora…Bellatrix, Narcissa, there's something I've really got to tell all of you…and Uncle Alphard, too. I…"

"Oh, Andromeda, can't it wait until dinner?" asked Aunt Elladora dramatically.

"Well, yes…I was hoping I could postpone it until…"

"Young Mistresses and Mistress Elladora, we house-elves invite you…" squeaked a tiny house-elf on their way in, "to the welcome feast!"

The house-elf clapped his hands and food appeared at the table. He vanished right after that.

"I bid you girls welcome to our home," said Uncle Alphard, smiling as he watched them all come in.

Uncle Alphard was everybody's favorite…except Bellatrix's that is. "Oh, Uncle Alphard!" exclaimed Andromeda, running over to her favorite uncle. "I couldn't wait to see you!"

"As I couldn't wait to see you, Andromeda. Look at how you've grown!" he said, kissing her forehead. "It's wonderful to see you all! Especially you, Bellatrix, what a woman you've become!"

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows and looked away from her uncle.

"And…and you, Narcissa! Eleven almost twelve! You sure are a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

"Thanks, Uncle Alphard," she replied coolly.

"I have some news for you all. I just finished with the writing of my and your aunt's will."

Andromeda stopped eating. "Really? Do we get anything?"

"Andromeda, dearest. You get a good amount of gold, since you are my favorite niece."

"How much is this gold?" questioned Andromeda, tilting her head and smiling.

"You'll find out soon enough, you little un-human creature of filth," said Aunt Elladora, raising her eyebrows and evilly smiling at Andromeda.

"Now, now, Elladora…no need to call her that…" said Alphard rationally.

"So…okay…hurry up, Andromeda. Out with it," said Bellatrix, cleaning her fingernails.

"Um. Right. You guys know Marcus Flint?" she asked timidly.

They all nodded. This wasn't going to get any easier.

"Well…okay," she took a deep breath. "I'm not going to marry him. And before you say anything, I'm dating another guy that I think I might like. And he's a muggle-born."

Silence.

"_What_ _did you just say_?" demanded Aunt Elladora.

"I'm dating a muggle-born."

_"**YOU ARE DOING WHAT? AFTER ALL WE'VE DONE FOR YOU? AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF TAKING YOU IN AS OUR OWN CHILD? YOU ABANDON US? YOU ABANDON THE BLACK FAMILY NAME? YOU LITTLE WENCH! YOU UN-HUMAN CREATURE OF DISGUSTING FILTH!" **_screamed Aunt Elladora, her face red as she stood up and spat at Andromeda's feet. **_"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"_**

"What?" whispered Andromeda, her eyes filled with tears.

**_"YOU HEARD HER! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!"_** exclaimed Bellatrix, suddenly joining her aunt's crusade.

"Young Bellatrix, what a pleasant surprise that you will join me…**_GET OUT_**!" she shrieked, as she and Bellatrix pulled out their wands.

"**_ACCIO ANDROMEDA'S SUITCASE WITH ALL HER THINGS PACKED!"_** screamed Bellatrix.

**_"I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE INSULTED IN MY WHOLE DAMN LIFE!"_** screeched Andromeda, tears falling down her face in buckets. **_"ISN'T ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN BLOOD?"_**

**_"NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BLOOD YOU PIECE OF MUD-BLOOD SCUM! OUT OF MY HOUSE! YOU ARE NEVER TO CONTACT ANYBODY OF THE BLACK FAMILY AGAIN! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD, ANDROMEDA DESDEMONA MUDBLOOD? HELL, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S CLEAR…OUT OF MY HOUSE!"_**

In one tragic conversation and a harsh push, Andromeda Desdemona Black was pushed out the door, never to be seen in the Black family again.


	7. Chapter Six: A Midnight Visit

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Six:

A Midnight Visit

With only her wand and trunk in hand, Andromeda Black headed straight for the street and jutted out her wand. Immediately, a huge, purple, triple-decker bus zoomed toward her.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus. I am Maggie…" started the conductor.

"Yeah, yeah…I know…just let me inside, okay?" said Andromeda; her sadness turning to rage.

"Well then, come on. I don't have all day!" said Maggie, picking up Andromeda's bags as she loaded them into the bus.

"Whereabouts are you going?" asked Maggie.

"Erm…"

"You don'ts knows where you is goings? Well, then…why don't we just…"

"The Tonks Residence. I don't know where it is…or what it looks like…but if you could just take me there…"

"Take her to 'The Tonks Residence', alright Willy?" she said to the driver, leaning on one of the poles. "Well, that was a quick trip. I hope you enjoyed your stay here on the Knight Bus," said Maggie rudely, pushing her out of the bus with her suitcase right after her. The bus zoomed off before Andromeda had even blinked at the small corner of suburbia in front of her.

It was a quiet and quaint little place, with what looked like morning glory flowers planted in the front and a small muggle car parked in the driveway.

Andromeda unpacked her broom and flew up to the first window. Looking inside it, she saw Ted reading with the light on. She tapped the window.

He gasped and opened it immediately. "What in the bloody hell…"

"Sh…it's a really long story…and I don't really have time…"

"We have time," said Ted softly, grinning.

Word by word, Andromeda re-told the story of the night's events and by the end she was crying and poor Ted was flabbergasted.

"I had absolutely no idea…where…to…go…and then," sobbed Andromeda, "I. Thought. Of. You."

She sniffled one last time. "Look, I should probably go wake my parents and tell them we have a guest and I'll explain tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll take you to the guest bedroom, and you can spend the night."

This part of Ted relaxed Andromeda, and she hugged him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you so much, Ted. This means the world to me."

"It's fine…this is what boyfriends and best friends are for, isn't it?" he asked her, lifting up her chin and smiling. She smiled as he led her to the guest bedroom, her things dragging behind her.

Narcissa and Bellatrix awoke the next morning, Narcissa with a pang of guilt, Bellatrix a pang of glory.

There wasn't much to be said about last night, but the only sure thing was that Andromeda was gone forever. Their lives were too different from each other now, even if they were still sisters.

"Trixie, I can't believe you did that to her! You know that you hate Aunt Elladora! You know it! How could you? To your own sister?"

"Don't call me 'Trixie' anymore, Narcissa. It's too juvenile…and it points to our past. We are going to forget our past and move on. Andromeda Black does not exist. She is gone. Our only task now is to marry a pure-blood man and produce an heir…and _not_ be a mud-blood like Andromeda turned herself to be."

Narcissa looked at her sister, tears in her eyes. "You know you love her," she whispered.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't think I even love_ you_ for being on _her_ side," said Bellatrix harshly.

"It's no use. I don't know why I even bother," sobbed Narcissa.

"You shouldn't know why you bother. I am the crème of the crop, okay? I am the all powerful of the two of us, and you can't stop me from…"

"You're a Death Eater! You don't even know what it's like to love somebody!"

This shut Bellatrix up for a minute while she formulated her words. "I love somebody who loves me back, is that okay, Narcissa?" she said very slowly. Her fists were already clenched in rage.

"And who in the hell is that?" demanded Narcissa.

Bellatrix was ready to explode. "HIS NAME'S RUDOLPHUS LESTRANGE AND YES, HE IS A DEATH EATER, TOO IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!" boomed Bellatrix.

"HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU! HE'S JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER DAMNED PUREBLOODS! ALL THE SAME! JUST LOVING OF YOUR BLOOD!" screamed Narcissa.

"WELL I'D BE THE ONE TO TALK, NARCISSA, CONSIDERING THAT YOUR BETROTHED WON'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU!" bellowed Bellatrix, whipping out her wand.

"AT LEAST I DON'T SNEAK INTO THE DESERTED SHACK TO HAVE A GOOD SNOG!" yelled Narcissa, pulling out her wand as well.

"YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO ME, MS. UNDERAGE WIZARD!"

"OH YEAH? TRY ME!"

"CRUCIO!"

"PROTEGO!"

"IMPERIO!"

"BLASTAMANA!" shouted Narcissa.

Bellatrix looked stunned. Literally. She instantly was blown into the wall and froze up like an old package of meat in the freezer. Narcissa smiled and walked out of the room.

"I'm smarter than you think, Bellatrix," said Narcissa evilly.

Andromeda awoke to a bright, sunny morning inside the Tonks' house. She quickly got up and dressed, so she wouldn't have to go downstairs in her pajamas. Andromeda politely knocked on Ted's door so that they could approach his parents about her.

"Ted? It's me, Andie. I just…I mean…are you up? Because it's okay if you're not…I just wanted to tell you that…"

The door opened with a rush. "I've been up studying. I was wondering when you were going to get up," he said, inviting her into his small room.

"How are we going to do this?" asked Andie, sinking down into his comfy chair in the corner.

"Well…my parents are easy going. Most of the time. Dad's already left for work this morning, and mum stays at home, so there really isn't much to talk about. I know mum will say yes, because she likes having my friends around the house. Last year, I had two of my mates from Hogwarts stay the entire summer, and she didn't care less."

"Were your mates girls?"

"Er…no…but…"

"She might have a different approach because I'm your girlfriend…and even though we won't sleep in the same room or anything…she still might be uncomfortable with me staying. I know if my mum were still…" Andie trailed off.

"We might as well give it a try. That reminds me, if you're going to stay here, you better like food, because my mum is one of those people who ask you constantly if you're hungry or not…always cooking…"

"Let's just get through my interview process first, Ted," said Andie as they walked out of his room and down the stairs.

"Morning mum," said Ted, sitting down at the kitchen table across from his mother. Andie took a seat next to him.

"Morning dear. And this is?" she asked, putting down her coffee and the newspaper to observe Andie.

"Mum, this is my girlfriend, Andromeda Desdemona Black."

Andie grimaced at Ted. "I go by Andie, Mrs. Tonks."

"Oh, well, it's very nice to meet you, Andie."

Dead silence.

"I have some questions to ask both of you. Especially you, Andie. Ready?"

They both nodded.

"Andie, where did live before you came here?"

"I live just north of Oxford in a mansion that has been in my family for centuries."

"And why do you not live there anymore?"

"Look, Mrs. Tonks, I don't want to offend you or your son, and it's a very long story…"

"Just tell me," she said sternly.

"Okay…I told my family…um…okay. I'm a pure-blood witch, which means that my family has a history of witches and wizards from me all the way back to the beginning of our family tree. And my parents and Aunts and Uncles think that we all should 'preserve the pure-blood way of life' by marrying and dating other pure-bloods. But the thing is, Ted is a muggle-born…and in my eyes, there's nothing wrong with that, but when I told my family, they kicked me out and erased me from the family tree," said Andie in one breath.

"Interesting. And you say that there are other 'pure-blood' families out there?"

"Slim to none left, but they we are still in existence."

"When you say 'muggle-born', what is a muggle?"

Andie looked at Ted, her eyebrows raised. "Did Ted not tell you what a muggle is?"

Mrs. Tonks shook her head. "Well…you are a muggle, Mrs. Tonks. A muggle is known in the wizarding world as a non-magic person. Meaning that you do not have any wizard blood in your family, or anybody else who is/was a witch or a wizard."

"Oh, alright. Well, how did you meet my Ted?"

"Well…when I was in my first year at Hogwarts, I was sorted into Ravenclaw, and most everybody didn't like me because I was a pure-blood, and pure-bloods always get sorted into Slytherin. So, Ted asked me to sit next to him at the feast, and we were friends ever since."

"When did you two start dating?"

"When I was thirteen, and Ted was fourteen, he asked me to be his girl."

Mrs. Tonks lowered her eyeglasses and looked at her son, her eyebrows raised.

"So you've been dating for…"

"Two years," they both answered together.

"Seems pretty serious," said Mrs. Tonks shortly, lowering her eyeglasses again.

"Well…I guess you could call it that, mum…but it's not like we've done anything or…"

"So, you haven't ever kissed each other before?"

"Er…well…"

"You have?"

They both nodded.

"How far have these snogging sessions been?"

"Mum!"

"No, I'm serious, Ted. Things seem to be very serious between the two of you and we need to lay down some ground rules."

"Um…Mrs. Tonks…I promise you we won't go any further than kissing until we're…"

"Until you two are?"

Ted took a deep breath. "Married. Andie and I want to get married."

Andie smiled weakly and widened her eyes at Ted. "Is this a proposal?" she asked timidly.

"Yes. You could call it that. Andromeda Black, will you marry me, Ted Tonks?"

Andromeda looked over at Mrs. Tonks, who smiled. "Yes, I love you, Ted. I will marry you. But I…I don't want to throw my life away by getting married too early…"

"I won't push it until we're safely out of Hogwarts."

"Thanks for respecting me, Ted."

"Mum…is this okay?"

"What else could I wish for? My second-born son proposed to his beloved girlfriend in front of me…that must mean he really loves her."


	8. Chapter Seven: Bellatrix's Graduation

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Seven:

Bellatrix's Graduation

_Dear Aunt Elladora and Uncle Alphard,_

_It's me, Bellatrix. I've written to you to invite you to my graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope you'll come; I've already reserved two tickets for you. Please send me an owl back as soon as possible!_

_Bellatrix Black_

Bellatrix sealed up the letter and sent it with her owl, watching him fly away.

"Looking for something to do?" asked a voice from the corner.  
"Rud!" she said loudly, as he embraced her. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be…"

"One month, Bella, one month until we can finally get married," he whispered in her ear.

"I still don't understand why you're here…"

"It's the Dark Lord. Tonight," he muttered in her ear, pressing his tattoo up against hers. She winced, feeling the pain and hotness.

"Right. So, you came this entire way just to tell me about the Dark Lord," said Bellatrix disdainfully, pushing herself away from Rud.

"Look, I didn't come all the way here just to see you push yourself away from me," he said harshly, pulling her back into his embrace. "If you didn't want to be a Death Eater, you shouldn't be dating me!" he said, squeezing her harshly.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you doing this? You've never treated me like this before…"

"You didn't act like you didn't care about the Dark Lord before. Now, if you don't act like…"

"Fine, I'll go! Gods, Rud! Just leave, okay?" said Bellatrix in exasperation.

"I'll see you tonight," he said, before stepping into the fireplace and flooing out.

"Damn!" said Bellatrix to herself, whilst sinking into the green couch near the window.

"Boyfriend got you down?" asked Narcissa, appearing in the doorway.

"How the hell would you know?" asked Bellatrix, hot tears streaming down her face.

"Just a presumption. Or is it the Dark Lord that's got you?"

"Shut up!" screeched Bellatrix.

"Whoa…temper…temper….sure the Dark Lord didn't hire you for that?"

"When are you going to stop talking about him? He didn't hire me…and how _dare_ you insult him like that! Gods, don't you even know how to shut up?"

"Fine. I'll leave," said Narcissa huffily, walking out the common room door.

"Urgh…what an exasperating little…urgh!" said Bellatrix furiously, getting back to her potions work. "Damn bezoars…always getting in people's lives…" she muttered to the paper.

Ted Tonks was more than a genius at wand-work. On a lazy, hot,

Saturday afternoon, he'd frozen the turf of the Quidditch Pitch and made it several layers of thick ice…thick enough for his love, Andie, to display her talent for ice-skating.

"Like this?" asked Andie, skating backwards on the frozen ice again.

"Yeah, that's right! Why are you so good at this, Andie?" asked Ted, embracing her in the middle of the ice.

"I've only learned from the best coach in the world," she said, a little too sweetly, grinning softly.

He kissed her, she stopped him from continuing and put a hand up to his lips. "Not here, we've got to finish my lesson, remember?" she asked softly, skating around.

"You know…I'd like to race you," said Ted grinning.

"Race me?" she laughed, "What do you mean, 'race me'? On skates? Are you serious? I'll beat your sorry ass and then where would we be?"

"Oh really? You think you're faster than I am, Miss Black?"

She nodded, grinning. "Why, yes I do, Mr. Tonks."

"Alright," he said, a guttural sound escaping his throat. "On your mark, get set…go!" he yelled, and they both took off.

His strides were short and quick, skating faster and faster as he went. Her strides were long and gliding, though she matched his speed very easily.

"Think you're going to beat me yet, Ted?" she asked, panting.

"I don't know…you're sort of like a racehorse…never stopping for a breath…"

"I'll stop for one right…now…" she said, showing off her skills at the double axle as she plunged into the air and landed a bit shakily. He was several strides ahead of her by now.

"Ha ha! You can't win now, Andie!" he yelled, looking ahead.

"Wanna bet?" she asked him, suddenly appearing by his side. He tripped over his own feet.

"Who's the better skater now?" asked Andie triumphantly, ending near the edge of the lake.

He got up and staggered to her. "That…wasn't…fair…"

"Awww…sore sport are you?" she teased him.

"You…made…me…trip…"

"Hey…I'm not the one wearing those big old hockey shoes. I can see they throw you off balance," she said, the teasing tone still in her voice.

"You want to have a skate-off?"

"What's that?"

"A figure skating competition."

"Sure…since you can't skate…"

He chuckled. "Andie, Andie, Andie…you never cease to amaze me."

"I know I don't…that's the point, isn't it?"

"You think I'm a bad figure skater, don't you?"

"Well, during our lessons…I've never seen you in figure skates…"

He pulled out his wand and muttered a transfiguration spell, his skates instantly changing to figure skates.

"Whoa…we weren't supposed to learn that until next year! Why do you have to be so smart?" she demanded, bending over to examine his skates. "And why are they black?"

"Men's figure skates are always black. And I _am_ a Ravenclaw, you know."

"Well, it doesn't make you a better skater than me anyhow."

"I'll skate first then, and you can determine who's the…"

"Well…look who it is!" shouted a voice from the other side of the spring green grounds. "Cousin Andie, how delightful it is to see you…SCRATCHED OFF THE FAMILY TREE!" howled Sirius, his three friends following in his wake.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Hello, Sirius."

"Picked up figure skating, have you?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, it's pretty good to get away from it all."

"I imagine so, after last summer's events."

"You really need to get out more, Sirius," retorted Andie.

"Since when do you hate me?" he demanded.

"Since you took advantage of my friend Maria last spring. You know, the raven-haired girl you took to the Spring Fling, shagged and then never saw again?"

"Oh…her. Well, she didn't seem so smart to me…even for a Ravenclaw…"

"And then did the same thing to my friend Marissa at the Fall Ball."

"She was kind of…"

"And then, eight months ago, at the Halloween Dance, followed up by the Christmas Prom and the May Day Celebration, you had a group of giggling girls you got drunk that surrounded you…"

"Those were the times…"

"And you wonder why I'm upset with you?"

"Aw…Andie…c'mon…you know I'm the only one you still consider family."

She paused and smiled. He walked over to the ice and hugged her. "Good to see you, Sirius."

"Yeah, you too. And who exactly is this?" he asked her, releasing from her embrace. His friends grinned at Sirius, Ted, and Andromeda.

"This is Ted Tonks, my fiancé."

"So this is the lucky guy that got my beloved cousin kicked off the family tree. Sirius Black at your service."

"Good to meet you," said Ted, extending his hand for a shake.

"Ted, these are Sirius's friends, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew," said Andie, introducing Ted. "They're all in Gryffindor, which is why we don't see them so often."

"Right."

"So…James…where's Lily?" asked Andie, still in her ice-skating shoes on the ice as she asked Sirius's friend about his girlfriend.

"She's doing…"

"There you boys are. I was looking all over for you incase you caused some…" said Lily, walking up to the little group. "Trouble…" she finished.

"Hey Lil," said James warmly, kissing her forehead.

"And aren't you going to introduce me?" she asked.

"You two are too mushy for your own good. Lily, Andie and Ted, Ted and Andie, Lily," said Sirius bored-ly.

"You figure skate?" Lily asked, her attention focusing on Ted's and Andromeda's skates.

"Yeah…he's been giving me lessons ever since first year."

Lily lifted her head to look at their faces. "Interesting. Why do you two figure skate?"

"Just to get our minds off of things," responded Ted. "It's actually a real stress reliever."

"Maybe we should try this, James," said Lily, one of her eyebrows raised as she turned to her boyfriend. He looked at her like she was crazy.

"Are you kidding? Figure skating? Me? Ha ha…very funny. Naw…I'll stick to Quidditch thanks."

"We were actually going to have a competition between us…will you judge, Lily?" asked Andie politely.

"Well…actually…we have to get back to the common room for study…" started Lily and Remus nodded enthusiastically.

"Nonsense…we'll stay and judge," said Sirius.

Lily and James looked at each other bored-ly. "Sirius…" she whined.

"Now…I haven't seen my cousin in years! C'mon, let me just see what she's done to herself…"

"Fine…" groaned James, transfiguring some grass into a large blanket that Remus, Peter and Lily immediately plopped down on.

"Go on! Skate out onto the ice! Ladies first, Mr. Tonks," said Sirius, signaling Ted off the ice, as Andie stayed in the middle.

"Wait a minute…you need an ice-skating outfit!" said Lily, waving her wand as Andie's t-shirt and sweatpants were replaced by a red, spaghetti strapped, glittery v-neck ice-skating dress.

"Lily!" squealed Andie, covering parts of herself with her arms.

"C'mon Andie…it's all in the sport…I'm the announcer…" said Sirius, grinning. "Now go on and get to the middle…"

"But I don't have a routine…"

"Then what was that you made up before?" he demanded.

"It wasn't truly a routine or anything…"

"Welcome gentleman and lady to the Hogwarts First Annual Ice-Skating Competition!" said Sirius, very much like an announcer as his friends and James' girlfriend clapped politely. "First up, we have…Andromeda Black!"

Andie responded hilariously perfect to the crowd. She threw up her hands in a pose, and started skating.

Picking up speed, she started to glide around, her hands moving about freely. She had no idea what she was doing, and as Sirius announced from the booth at the top of the Quidditch Pitch, students started to mosey in to watch, sitting in the stands of the Quidditch Pitch.

"She is now attempting a double…no…triple! It can't be!" said Sirius dramatically, "she's landed a complex triple spin thingy! Excellent…and her routine ends with a dazzling finish. Can we get a round of applause for Miss Andromeda Black!" announced Sirius.

Sirius was oblivious to the people that had entered the stands, he jumped out of his chair when he heard applause other than his friend's.

"Miss Black, answer the question, please!" trilled Professor Slughorn to Narcissa Black.

Narcissa sighed. "The Draught of Living Death uses the ingredients of asphodel, wormwood, valerian roots, and sophorous bean. The Draught of Living Death causes the drinker to fall into a deep sleep; the time in the deep sleep depending on the number of ingredients added. While brewing this potion, it should emit blue steam. The half-way stage should be of a blackcurrant color although at a later stage it should turn the ideal color of lilac," said Narcissa bored-ly.

Professor Slughorn looked shocked. "Well done! Fifty points to Slytherin!"

The other third-year Slytherins around her looked thoroughly shocked as they all stared at her. Whispers broke out amongst them.

"Quiet! Quiet, please!" shouted Professor Slughorn, tapping his wand against his large cauldron. "Well. Hmm. Now that we have finished an overview of The Draught of Living Death; your assignment is to have two rolls of parchment on it, due tomorrow. All of you except Miss Black of course," he added, winking at Narcissa. "Class dismissed!"

Narcissa slowly headed up from the dungeons. _'Great,'_ she thought to herself, _'I'm going to get some stupid invitation to the Slug Club now…'_

"Hey, Cissy! You were really brilliant in there…" said ashy third year boy.

"Whatever," said Narcissa.

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" he asked timidly.

"I'm engaged," she said simply, giving him an evil look.

"To who, a nineteen-year-old Malfoy?" he asked, chuckling.

"Look, you mudblood, it's none of your concern who I'm engaged to. If you must know, I _am_ engaged to Lucius Malfoy! What do you expect? I'm a Black! I'm part of one of the purest families in all of England! And you can just buzz off, okay? Okay. Buh-bye!" said Narcissa hotly, storming up the stone steps.

The Slytherin Common Room was unusually quiet for this time of day, but for Narcissa it was perfect. Time to catch up on a bit of reading.

"Good afternoon, Cissy," said Bellatrix, sitting in one of the green armchairs.

"Bella," said Narcissa a bit on the scornful side.

"What's wrong with you? Boy troubles?" sniggered Bella.

"Ha ha ha. Why hasn't your lovely fiancé been around here more often?" retorted Cissy.

Bellatrix turned red. "How in the _hell_ to you know about Rudolphus?"

"Word travels fast around Hogwarts."

"Look, you aren't going to tell anybody."

"I never said I was! Gods, who did you think I would tell? Andromeda?"

"DON'T EVER SAY HER NAME AGAIN!" yelled Bellatrix.

"What is she, Voldemort?"

"AND DON'T SAY THE DARK LORD'S NAME EITHER!" exploded Bellatrix again.

"Fine. Gods, you are such a 17-year-old freak."

"And you aren't a 13-year-old one?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Excited for your graduation?" she asked, sitting down in an armchair next to her sister.

"You mean excited to get out of this large black hole and get out to see the rest of the world? Then, yeah, I am pretty excited."

"You can't wait to get away from them, can you?"

"If by them, you mean Uncle Alphard and Aunt Elladora…hell yes!" she exclaimed.

"They are a bit…er…old-fashioned…"

"Old fashioned? Old fashioned? Who starts a family tradition of cutting house-elves heads off when they get too old to carry tea trays? Sometimes, I just want to take Aunt Elladora's head and put _it _on a tea tray."

Narcissa laughed. "No, you know what we should do, though? We ought to make a screaming portrait of her like there is in cousin Sirius' house…"

"Oh…don't even _talk_ about _her_! She is by far the most annoying woman I've ever met in my _entire life_!"

"Well, I see this conversation is going nowhere…"

The two sisters sat in complete silence for a while, until Narcissa added something quietly. "I wonder how Andie's doing."

Bellatrix started to shake with rage, but compressed it as she replied to Narcissa's comment. "I…don't…"

"Sorry…just…a question."

Silence again.

"I wish we could go back to the way things were before," murmured Narcissa.

"I sometimes think about it. But An-an-Andromeda is…a…a traitor. And we really…we really can't do anything about it…" replied Bellatrix softly, a tear running down her cheek. "Gods, sometimes, I just wish I could be different. What would it be like being a mud-blood? You know? I bet it's easier to be one then it is to be a pure-blood."

"Bella…" started Narcissa, reaching her pale hand across to touch her sister's arm.

"I feel that if I just hold on a bit longer everything will turn out wrong. I just…can't. I mean…I don't know what I mean anymore! All this stupid crap with Rud, and the Dark Lord, graduation, our damn cousin, Sirius, everything! Everything is collapsing around me and I just can't do it anymore, Cissy, I just can't!" exclaimed Bellatrix through her hands. Tears were streaming down her face.

"I'm…I'm sorry. It's not over, Bellatrix. You and Rud…you make a great team…and you'll…you'll be married forever…"

"BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!" she sobbed loudly.

"Everybody has a choice, Bella. Between what is right, and what is easy."

"What's with you?" Ted Tonks asked Andromeda as she sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room staring at the fire.

Andromeda just shook her head.

"C'mon, Andie. Tell me. There's nothing you can hide from me for long," he comforted, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

"Bellatrix's graduation," she replied softly.

Ted released her hand and sighed. "When is this going to stop, Andie? All you talk about these days is your sister!"

"What do you want me to talk about, Ted? The new edition of _Hogwarts, A History_?" demanded Andromeda.

"Well, actually, I wouldn't mind if we…"  
"You are so hypocritical! Only a month ago, you were fixed on your brother's marriage disinigrating! Isn't that the same thing as this?"

"I know…but this is your sister! Bellatrix is DEATH EATER SCUM, Andie!"

"We USED TO BE SISTERS! AND WE WERE REALLY CLOSE SISTERS AS A MATTER OF FACT! AND IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT TED THEN I GUESS YOU SHOULD JUST SHUT UP AND NOT TALK TO ME AGAIN!" bursted Andie.

Ted was silent. "I don't want that," he said clearly, and quietly.

"WELL THEN I GUESS WE AREN'T MEANT TO BE"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT THAT!"

"Oh. Sorry then…" said Andromeda, blushing.

"Two years, you know. Then we can get married," smiled Ted.

"I love you," replied Andromeda.

"I love you, too."

_Darling Bellatrix,_

_At this time, Uncle Alphard and I cannot attend your graduation. It is very regrettable, but we have some personal business to attend to. I'm sure you'll find 2 others to invite to the graduation, you could invite Narcissa and Rudolphus! I'm sure they'd love to attend! _

_Love,_

_Aunt Elladora_

Bellatrix opened the letter on afternoon of her graduation, disappointed but more then anything, angry at her Aunt and Uncle for not being the good parents they told everybody they were as she ripped up the letter and cast it into the wind.

"They couldn't make it could they?" asked Narcissa, coming up behind her.

"No. But it doesn't matter anyway, does it? It's not like I expected them to come anyways."

"So, who are you going to invite?"

"Well, you of course."

"Of course…and Rud?"

"I don't know. He didn't seem that interested in attending."

"Well, who else are you going to invite? Not…" she laughed, "Andromeda?"

Bellatrix just looked at her.

"Are you serious? You want to invite mud-blood scum to your graduation?"

"She isn't a mud-blood…just a mud-blood lover…"

"Now you're defending her? Bella!"

"Fine, I'll invite Rud! Are you happy now?"

"Quite."

_My dearest Rud,_

_It seems that I have one ticket left for my graduation today, and I would like to cordially invite to it. My ticket is enclosed in this envelope. Please respond with your answer soon, so I can refund the ticket if you cannot attend._

_Love,_

_Bella_

_Bella,_

_I cannot give any information out to you before the graduation, but I can say this._

_I will already be there. _

_Do not respond to this owl, it will look suspicious. _

_Like I stated above, I will already be there, the minute they say your name. _

_See you very soon,_

_Rudolphus B. Lestrange_

"What in the _bloody hell_ does he mean by 'I will already be there'?" asked Bellatrix.

"I think you know what he's talking about, Bella," responded Narcissa quietly.

Bellatrix and Narcissa stared at each other. "Death Eaters…the Dark Lord…" mouthed Bellatrix.

Narcissa nodded.

"Oh…my…"

"Don't you see? It's a big rebellion! The last thing the Dark Lord would want is for mud-bloods to graduate! You'd better pack your things. I'll put a disillusionment charm on the trunk, and then we'll guide it down to the graduation ceremony, and Rud will guide it out, and you'll make your escape."

"That's brilliant! How do you think of these things?" asked Bellatrix.

Narcissa shrugged. "That doesn't matter. Pack your stuff, this afternoon will be a long one."

"Welcome all to Hogwarts 3003rd Graduation Ceremony!" announced Professor Dumbledore. "We will start the festivities as soon as possible to avoid any delays, as we all know the dangers that are arising within this world."

Dumbledore went about making a speech of the dangers of Death Eaters, the rise of Lord Voldemort, and the memories the 7th years had made throughout their journey of Hogwarts.

"Allen, Virginia!" shouted Professor Stone, as a tall, thin young woman stepped up to the platform and received her license of wizardry.

"Bowen, Roger!" was given his license of wizardry.

And then…

"Black, Bellatrix!"

Twenty or so small 'pops' filled the atmosphere of the Hogwarts Grounds. Bellatrix was given her license just before a voice echoed through the grounds.

"I AM LORD VOLDEMORT!"


	9. Chapter Eight: Over It

Different: The Story of the Black Sisters

Chapter Eight:

Over It

_Crucios _and _Avada Kedavras_ were shooting out from almost twenty wands, as the teachers pulled out their wands and attempted to fight. The sixth year students and the seventh year students apparated on the spot, except for Bellatrix, who found Rudolphus. After sharing a long kiss, they both bid farewell to Hogwarts and apparated off the grounds.

"Tom Riddle, how nice to see you again," said Dumbledore cordially, blocking one of Tom's spells.

"It's Voldemort if you'd be so kind," replied Voldemort sarcastically. "_Crucio!_"

"_Protego!_" yelled Dumbledore again. "You don't want to do this, Tom. You're a very smart young man and I believe you can…"

"I'm here to battle you so my Death Eaters can kill your mudbloods…"

"Please do not use that foul language in front of me. Now tell me the real reason why you are here."

"You think I'm going to tell you? _Avada_…"

"Yes, Tom. There was a time when I trusted you…"

"You try my patience, old man…" Voldemort said irritatingly. "_Morsmordre!_" he exclaimed, the Dark Mark conjuring in the sky. "Because of your ignorance, at least one will die today."

"Tom, you know you shouldn't…"

"_Avada Kedavra!_" shouted Tom, pointing his wand at Professor Stone, who was fighting a battle with a very strong Death Eater. Armand Stone instantly fell to the ground.

"TOM!" yelled Dumbledore. "_Expelliarmus!_" bellowed Dumbledore at Tom, who was caught off guard. "GIVE UP! THE MINISTRY WILL HAVE BEEN TIPPED OFF BY NOW!"

Voldemort only grinned maniacally. "Good to see you again, Albus," he said before vanishing along with all the other Death Eaters.

Dumbledore strode over to where Voldemort's wand landed.

It too had disappeared.

**First Death Eater Attack on Hogwarts Grounds**

**_On Friday, May 18th, twenty-or-so Death Eaters (followers of Voldemort) and Voldemort himself apparated to the Hogwarts Grounds for the first of several killing or dueling fights this year. _**

_**For those of our readers who do not know, Voldemort (now being referred to as: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and You-Know-Who), is a very dark wizard who has been gathering followers for the past three years.**_

**_He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named made his first attack in public on May 18th with his Death Eaters (names currently not known) and took a former Hogwarts student, Bellatrix Black, and killed Hogwarts' Deputy Headmaster, Armand Stone. _**

_**The whereabouts of Ms. Black have not been found yet, though many of her Hogwarts peers reckoned they figured she was a Death Eater as well and is not in danger.**_

**_For more information on Armand Stone, turn to page C7… _**

Andromeda sighed and dropped the _Daily Prophet_ slowly, her sister's and her sister's boyfriend's faces staring back up at her. "I can't believe this," she said slowly.

"You can't?" asked Ted. "You honestly can't believe that your evil older sister is actually a Death Eater and actually evil?"

Andie glared at her boyfriend. "I don't know. I bet Narcissa's going to be a Death Eater, too."

"It wouldn't surprise me."

She sighed again.

"We'll get through this, Andie."

"They're my sisters," she said softly, a tear trailing down her cheek.

"I know," replied Ted, squeezing her hand gently underneath the table.

Andie took a deep shuddering breath "I love them."

"I can see you do. But you need to get over them."

She glared at him through the silent tears.

"It's going to be hard. Really hard. You have me."

She smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Am I staying the summer at your house?"

"Yeah. In the guest room like every summer."

"I love spending the summers at your house. It's much better then spending the summers with…with…"

"Never mind. Forget it, Andie."

"By the power invested in me…by me…I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Rudolphus Lestrange. Rud, I suppose you can kiss her," said the Dark Lord, marrying the couple in front of all the Death Eaters. Voldemort rolled his eyes when Bellatrix and Rud wouldn't stop. "Alright, alright…too much love. We've got a killing in three minutes…out of those robes, Lestranges. Now."

"Yes sir," said Rudolphus, breaking away from Bellatrix as he transfigured his robes into his Death Eater ones at the same time as Bellatrix.

"And I don't expect you two to go on a honeymoon or be up all night either…" said Voldemort quietly, smirking as a few of the Death Eaters sniggered. Bellatrix blushed. All 26 of the Death Eaters quietly assembled before apparating on the spot.

_Dear Narcissa, Uncle Alphard, and Aunt Elladora,_

_Rudolphus and I have only been married for a few days, I thought I'd owl you and tell you. I can't tell you much more, only that you should switch owls so that it doesn't give away us D.E. hiding place. _

_You will not see me for a while (more like five or six years) so get used to it. I hope you understand the seriousness of my situation and DO NOT make a big deal or owl me back everyday. _

_This letter will self-destruct after ten seconds after reading it. _

_Yours,_

_Bellatrix Desdemona Black Lestrange_

"How _dare_ she go off marrying him without a proper _ceremony_! And now even inviting us either! I hope their marriage is a happy one. But since they'll always be on the run from the authorities…" raged Aunt Elladora.

Narcissa sniggered under her breath. "What are _you_ sniggering about, young lady?" asked Uncle Alphard.

"Nothing," said Narcissa innocently. _'Just four more years…four more years…three more summers…never have to see these idiots again…'_ thought Narcissa.

"Well, we'll just have to invite Rudolphus and Bellatrix this Christmas! They can't possibly be working on Christmas, can they?" asked Aunt Elladora, more a statement then a question.

"It seems they won't be, Ella. I believe they have very serious government business they are part of…perhaps a…"

"Oh, don't be silly, Alphard! I'm sure they work for the ministry…"

"Then what does 'D.E.' mean?"

"Death Eaters," muttered Narcissa.

"What was that?" asked Elladora, rounding on her niece.

"Nothing."

"Too late! Did you _hear_ what she _said_, Alphard? _Death Eaters_? Bellatrix and Rudolphus? What is going through your head, you lazy little…"

"I think the girl is right, Ella," said Uncle Alphard slowly, opening up the _Daily Prophet_ and reading the front page.

**Fabian and Gideon Prewett Murdered in Flat**

_Last night at about midnight, 20-or-so Death Eaters broke into the Prewett flat in south London, murdering both brothers instantly, and raiding their house. _

_Ministry officials believe that the following Death Eaters are responsible for the murder, Rudolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange (being tracked by the ministry as of now), Antonin Dolohov, Lucius Malfoy, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. _

_It was said (from inside sources) that the Prewett brothers were part of a group known as The Order of the Phoenix, a group that fights against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. More information on The Order of the Phoenix, turn to page C3…_

"Give me that!" hollered Aunt Elladora, snatching the newspaper up from her husband. "WHAT? MY NIECE A _DEATH EATER_? AND MY OTHER NIECE'S FUTURE HUSBAND A _DEATH EATER_ AS WELL? THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! A SCANDAL! WE NEED TO CONTACT THE MINISTRY AT ONCE, ALPHARD! THIS IS…THIS IS…"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" interjected Alphard. "YES! OUR NIECES AND NEPHEWS IN LAW ARE OR WILL BE DEATH EATERS, BUT DO YOU EVEN _KNOW_ WHAT DEATH EATERS _DO? _THEY RID THE WORLD OF STINKY MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS!"

Aunt Elladora seemed to want to ponder this for a few moments. "Yes, you're right. Narcissa, owl Lucius right away and see if you can be in on this plot."

Narcissa raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth to protest. "But I don't want to become a Death Eater!"

"_NOW!_" raged Alphard and Elladora together.

"_NO!_" yelled Narcissa.

"_NARCISSA DESDEMONA! YOU WILL DO AS WE SAY OR YOU WILL…_" started Elladora, but Narcissa cut her off.

"_OR WHAT? YOU'LL SCORCH ME OFF THE FAMILY TREE LIKE YOU DID ANDROMEDA?_"

"_DON'T YOU DARE SAY HER NAME IN THIS HOUSEHOLD YOU BLOOD TRAITOR!_"

"_FINE! I'LL GO UPSTAIRS AND OWL YOUR DARLING LUCIUS THAT I DON'T WANT TO MARRY HIM!_"

This got to Aunt Elladora, and Narcissa was out of ideas for insults and comebacks. "You win this one, Narcissa. You don't have to become a Death Eater until you're out of Hogwarts if you don't want to be. I will cut you some slack now, but not always. By the way, you will be married to Lucius the day after you graduate from Hogwarts," said Aunt Elladora matter-of-factly.

Narcissa inwardly groaned. "Fine."

"Now go upstairs and do not come down until dinner. And I hope your formalwear still fits you…"

"Bad news, Andie," greeted Ted on the first day of summer as Andie sat down at the table for breakfast, still in her pajamas.

She yawned and put her elbows on the table. "What?"

"Your sister's a Death Eater."

"Well, yes, we knew _that, _Ted…"

"She's murdered the Prewett brothers."

"No way!"

"Yep," said Ted grimly, "it seems that she and her husband have had the worst time escaping from the authorities. They'll hold a hearing today at noon to decide how long they'll be in Azkaban."

Andie slowly blinked and looked up to the ceiling. "How could she?"

"I know."

"How _could_ she? I mean…how _dare_ she do this to me…to our family…"

"Well, Andie, your family is probably on the happier side that she's joined the dark side…"

"You're right again…"

"And…they technically aren't your family anymore if you got blasted off the family tree…"

Andie glared at him.

"Just saying…"

"You know it's a touchy subject, Ted."

"That was almost a year ago."

"And that factor makes it easier for me to be touchy about it."

Silence.

"Can you believe I'm going to be graduated this time next year?" asked Ted.

"Two more years…no…less then that until we can get married," said Andie, smiling.

"Wow. Have we really been dating for that long?"

"Since 4th year."

"Jeez."

"Yep."

"What're you two talking about?" asked Mrs. Tonks, coming down the stairs.

"Just next summer," replied Ted.

"The summer you'll be married! I can tell you two are excited!"

Ted and Andie looked at each other. "Er…"

"You're not getting married?" demanded Mrs. Tonks.

"No, I mean…we are, just not next year…"

"And why ever not?"

"Because I'll be going into my 7th year this time next year," responded Andromeda.

"You can be married and go to school. Personally, I think it'd be easier that way. Think about it, you won't be tempted by other boys because you'll already be married."

"Well, we won't see much of each other," said Ted.

"You can come home for Christmas…and for spring break and summer of course."

"I mean…I won't be living with Ted, and that sort of bothers me," said Andie quietly.

"I can see how you'd be a bit upset by that, dear…but living together when you're married doesn't mean everything."

Ted and Andie looked at each other, eyebrows furrowed into confused expressions. "I'd think that was one of the key things in a marriage," said Ted, still confused.

"Well, yes…but…oh, never mind. So, you won't be married next year?"

"We'll think about it, okay mum?"

Mrs. Tonks nodded.

"Hearing Number 23 of Today: The Trial of Rudolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange. Charges pressed against them: the murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett for no apparent reason. This court will now assemble," stated the court scribe, as Bellatrix and Rudolphus were led into the court room. "The Wizengamot is now called to order. You may start the questioning."

Albus Dumbledore stood up. "The following questions are aimed at Mrs. Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Excuse me, Albus, but it seems that you are out of place," replied Mistress of Magic, Millicent Bagnold.

"I am sorry, Millicent, but it would seem that in Article Two, page seven, paragraph three of the Wizengamot Handbook, it clearly states that any member been on the Wizengamot for more then one year may start interrogation and or questioning after the court scribe has administered the greeting. Am I not correct?" asked Dumbledore sweetly, his eyes twinkling.

"Well…go on with your questioning then," said the Mistress, a bit embarrassed.

"Thank you. Is it true, Mrs. Lestrange, that you became a full-fledged Death Eater at age fifteen?"

Bellatrix nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And is it true that your husband, Rudolphus and you devised a plot for your fellow Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort…"

"Objection!" interjected one of the members of the Wizengamot.

"Madam Bones?" questioned Millicent Bagnold.

"We are to refer to him as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' and, or, 'You-Know-Who' in this courtroom," said Madam Bones matter-of-factly.

"Madam Bones, I commend you for remembering our new policy. Albus, I am sure you will be happy to oblige."

"Yes, Millicent. Excuse me. As I was saying, Mrs. Lestrange, did you, your husband, and your fellow Death Eaters devise a plot for the Death Eaters and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to enter the Hogwarts grounds, thereby are you responsible for the killing of Armand Stone?"

Bellatrix looked beside herself. "No," she answered quietly.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "No? Please enlighten us, Mrs. Lestrange."

"I did not devise the plot. I told the others about my graduation, but most of it was the other Death Eaters' plot, and the Dark Lord's."

"Excuse me? Is this relevant?" interjected Rudolphus.

"Order! You do not have permission to speak, Mr. Lestrange!" blasted one of the members of the Wizengamot.

Rudolphus immediately reclined in his large wooden chair. "How was it that you were chosen to have the honor of killing the Prewetts, Mrs. Lestrange?" asked Dumbledore.

"The Dark Lord does not chose, he only calls us to order, and in that time, he randomly selects us depending on relevance and worthiness."

"So, you are saying that you would not be in this courtroom had not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named murdered the Prewetts?"

"No, by all means, I might be in this courtroom for other false reasons or just because this bloody government has issues dealing with those of us who do not like the dreadful race of blood traitors and mudbloods…"

"DO NOT USE SUCH FOUL LANGUAGE IN THIS COURTROOM!" roared Bagnold, her face slowly turning deep red.

Bellatrix only raised her eyebrows.

"I have no further questioning of either Mr. or Mrs. Lestrange," said Dumbledore calmly.

The courtroom broke out into fierce whispers. "SILENCE!" bellowed Bagnold, as all the members in the courtroom instantly closed their mouths mid-sentence. "Are there any others who wish to question either Mr. Lestrange, or Mrs. Lestrange?"

The Wizengamot looked over at each other, knowing that the Lestranges were guilty, and would go to Azkaban.

Millicent Bagnold looked over at the court scribe, wrote something down on a piece of paper, and the scribe began to read. "Rudolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange are hereby sentenced to six months in Azkaban."

"Your sister was sentenced to six months in Azkaban yesterday," started Ted as he and Andie walked once more around Ted's block.

"I know. I heard," sighed Andromeda.

"Ready for Hogwarts?" asked Ted.

"Ready to graduate?" replied Andie, grinning.

"Ready for marriage?"

"Am I?"

"Are we?"

The two walked along the sidewalk, holding hands.

A scream echoed across the bleak, ghostly city. Andie and Ted pulled out their wands and ran back to the house. "What's going on?" yelled Ted.

Mrs. Tonks merely stared at the twilight sky.

The Dark Mark was light up in the sky.

Andie's heart was beating faster then a hummingbird's. "Ted…" she started, looking out the back window as three figures materialized about two feet from it.

"ANDIE!" he shouted, grabbing his mum and girlfriend, dragging them to the basement. "MUM! I'm going to apparate you to grandmum's house. You'll be safe there…"

Mrs. Tonks widened her eyes in fear. "Apparate? Is that safe, darling?"

"It's all we have, mum," he said quietly, "Andie; I'm going to come back for you and dad. Go upstairs and find my father, drag him down here…I'll be waiting…" he said frantically, before apparating out of the basement.

Andie ran up the stairs, her wand at the ready.

"Mr. Tonks! Mr. Tonks!" she yelled, before finding Mr. Tonks upstairs in his bedroom, reading the paper.

"What's all the ruckus?"

"Down in the basement, now!" said Andromeda, a bit like a command.

"What? Why?"

"Death Eaters! Out to kill you and out to kill me! Down in the basement before they come into this house!"

Mr. Tonks' eyes widened at the words, 'Death Eaters'. Ted and Andie had warned him that they might come attack, but he never believed it, it seemed…until now.

The basement was dark when they entered it, no noise anywhere. Andie flipped on the light switch only to find two Death Eaters standing in the corner, as if expecting the two of them to come.

"Nice to see you, Andromeda," drawled Lucius Malfoy. "_AVADA KEDAVRA!_" he screamed at Mr. Tonks, who instantly fell to the floor.

"NOOO! YOU! YOU KILLED HIM!" screamed Andie, kneeling down next to her fiancé's father.

"Yes, and you'll be next!" he bellowed, his wand at the ready.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?" screamed Andie, tears streaming down her face.

"YOU BLOOD TRAITOR SCUM! YOU BETRAYED CISSA'S FAMILY, AND FOR THAT REASON YOU DESERVE TO DIE!"

"I DIDN'T BETRAY THEM!" sobbed Andie, "I LOVE THEM! THEY BETRAYED ME! LEFT ME ALONE TO DIE!"

Lucius rolled his eyes. "IT WAS YOUR DECISION TO DESERT THEM FOR A MUDBLOOD! AND WHERE IS HE?"

"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU CARE?"

"DON'T SPEAK TO ME IN SUCH A MANNER, GIRL! _CRUCIO_!" he yelled as Andie fell to the floor in pain. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

"WHY?"

"BECAUSE I ASKED IT OF YOU! _CRUCIO_!"

Andie shrieked in pain again. "I WON'T!"

"YOU WILL OR I'LL DRIVE YOU MAD WITH THIS CURSE! _CRUCIO_!"

"WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE HE IS?"

"BECAUSE HE IS A MUDBLOOD AND HE MUST BE KILLED! _CRUCIO_!"

"I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS!"

"YOU LIE! _CRUCIO_!"

Andie didn't even bother to scream anymore. The pain was too intense…it felt like every part of her being hurt to the core.

At that moment, when Andie felt she couldn't stand it anymore, Ted apparated into the basement.

"_STUPEFY_!" bursted Ted, knocking Lucius flat on the ground. The other Death Eater, who had been silent and only watching the entire time, came out of the shadows.

"_AVADA KE_…"

"_STUPEFY_!" yelled Ted at the other Death Eater, who fell to the floor like Lucius. "ANDIE! COME ON!"

"BUT YOUR DAD…" she started.

"COME ON! THE OTHER DEATH EATERS WILL HAVE HEARD THAT!" screamed Ted as he grabbed Andie's arm, apparating along with her.

Millicent Bagnold apparated into Ted's grandmother's home, to discuss what should be done about Arnold Tonks, the father of Ted that was killed in his own basement by Lucius Malfoy.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I apologize for your loss," started Mistress Bagnold. "From what I've heard, Lucius Malfoy invaded your house to get information out of Andromeda to find out where your son, Ted, was hiding."

"I wasn't hiding," interjected Ted.

"I understand that. You all must also understand the seriousness of our situation. The man's fate was very selfish of Mr. Malfoy. You see, as a Death Eater, he was given a job, and when Death Eaters don't complete their jobs, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named kills or tortures them until they say they are sorry for all the 'trouble' they caused him."

"Well, this is all Ms. Black's fault," said Ted's grandmother sourly.

"Mrs. Tonks, I'm afraid it isn't anybody's fault…especially not Andromeda's, or Ted's for that matter. They were both victims…and I feel especially for you, Andromeda, you are the only living survivor of a Death Eater's Cruciatus Curse. And for that, you have my sympathies, and my congratulations."

Andromeda smiled meekly.

"Now, onto other business. Mr. Tonks will be examined by our healers so that we can find out more about the killing course that he…"

The Mistress of Magic was cut off by Mrs. Tonks' sobs.

"Mrs. Tonks, I know this is a hard time, but I'm going to ask you to…"

"Ask…a-ask m-me to d-do what? He-he was m-my h-h-husband…I…I…" she to a deep breath, "I loved h-h-h-h-h-him!" she sobbed loudly.

Ted looked up to the ceiling and squeezed Andie's hand as a tear fell down his cheek. Andie wiped away with her index finger. He looked into her eyes. "I hate the Malfoys."

Andie scratched her head absently. "Well…Lucius is unfortunately going to be your brother-in-law."

"What?" he whispered frantically.

"Well, Narcissa's engaged to him."

"Lovely," said Ted sarcastically.

"I know. But we have each other," she said, smiling softly.

"I love you, I love you."

"The funeral is up to you. My only order of business left, what do you want us to do with the body?"

Mrs. Tonks was now bawling, as was the other Mrs. Tonks (Ted's grandmother). Bagnold rounded on Ted. "I'll leave them with you. But, you should come and examine the house. The ministry is examining it right now to find out any possible damage and if anything was broken. Andromeda can come too, if you like."

"We'll go," said Ted quietly.

Millicent broke into a warm smile. "Good. Owl me when you'll be prepared to see the house. Until then, goodbye. Good luck to all of you."

So much had happened in nearly four months.

Andie stared out the window, watching the blizzard pour on.

"You look awfully lonely," said Ted, joining her in the couch near the window.

"Thanks."

"It's really snowing hard out there," said Ted quietly, hugging Andie gently from behind.

"Yeah, but it's really cozy in here," replied Andie, smiling.

Ted leaned down and kissed her.

"Haven't done that in a while, have you?" whispered Andie.

"I really don't care if I have or haven't. I'm just focused on kissing you," he replied, gently kissing her again.

Narcissa Black sat in the Slytherin Common Room, staring into the fire when her fiancé's head showed up.

She rolled her eyes. "Lucius."

"That's no way to treat your future husband, now is it?" he asked rather sweetly, despite his disposition.

"You aren't my husband yet, so you can't tell me how to treat you."

"Surly this afternoon, are we?"

"Go away."

"What are you, upset with me for murdering some unworthy muggle? I would think that you'd of all people would believe that me killing somebody should be a 'worthy' muggle-born or blood traitor," he sighed and rolled his eyes. "But I suppose nothing's good enough for you since your darling sister got sent to Azkaban."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes. "And why aren't you there with her?"

He chuckled. "Oh, Cissa, do you really not know the answer to that question?"

"Don't you ever call me that again."

"I'll call you whatever I like. As I was saying, I'm not with your stupid sister because, in a word: I'm smart."

"That's two words, smart ass."

"Temper, temper. What's poisoning you today?"

"Nothing," Narcissa lied. "And even if there was, do you think I would tell you?"

"Oh, I can't wait until we're husband and wife," drawled Lucius.

"You know well enough that if it weren't for my fate in the pure-blood world, I would most definitely say 'no' on our wedding day."

Lucius sighed again. "You'll never learn. You're like a delicate desert flower with poisonous pollen. But, most desert flowers are in turn eaten by other animals that have a taste for poison."

Narcissa grimaced. He was toying with her mind again. "I will not fall for your stupid analogies."

He lifted his head so his nose was pointing down to the floor. "You're a despicable little flower if I do say so myself."

"And you are the ugly lizard that eats me."

"But, I win in the end, do I not?"

She was silenced by these words.

"I knew you'd come around," he purred.

"I haven't 'come around' to like you, if that's what you are implying. I will never like you."

"Oh, but Narcissa Desdemona, you know you do. Admit it."

She was once again silenced by his words. She knew in her heart that she liked him. "Yes, I like you, Lucius."

"Why?" he questioned, his eyebrows raised.

"Because you are so arrogant and yet ignorant to the world around you. And it somewhat fascinates me that you are a walking contradiction."

"And tell me why in fact you think I am arrogant?"

"You have such a vague idea of how others suffer around you, because of you, and you ignore them totally. And what makes you even more arrogant is the fact that you have all this gold floating around, but do you bother to share it? No. But you do bother to gloat it."

"If one has much, then one might as well flaunt it."

"And another thing. You are ignorant because you know not of the muggles, yet you enjoy killing them, and wish to rid the world of every single one, but unless your bloodlines come from Merlin, then way back, you know you have a muggle line."

Lucius was stunned by his fiance's instant analyzation of his personality.

"You are the one that I believe will survive."

"Survive? And you are to think that you will die?"

"We will all die in the end."

"And yet you believe that I won't?"

"You have a talent with words," he replied sourly.

"You don't like that I can beat you at something…"

"I don't like the way you view me."

"Well, unless you change yourself, my views will not change. I won't even go for a bribe."

"Damn, that's a shame. Bribing has always been my specialty."

"And yet you just killed a man with no bribe involved?"

"He needed to die. I needed to show the Dark Lord and the muggles that I can handle a job, and that I'm a ferocious killer."

"Is that life to you? Pleasing the Dark Lord and killing muggles?"

"Ah, but you are not my wife yet. And when you are, pleasing the Dark Lord, killing muggles, and toying with you will be a better list. But until then, I must bid you goodbye, Cissa."

"Say that again."

"I must bid you…"

"No. The part where you said my name."

"Cissa," he said, smiling warmly. Narcissa had never seen him smile like that.

"Goodnight, Lucius."

"Bye Cissa."

It was a rainy day on the deserted island of Azkaban. The cold sinking in from the wandering dementors didn't help Rudolphus or Bellatrix, as it was cold enough from the holes in their cells; the rain dripping on them.

"Six months here," sighed Bellatrix, examining her fingernails out of being bored.

"You know we don't have to stay here all six months, Bella," replied Rudolphus, staring at his girlfriend through the bars of the jail cell that enabled the two to talk to each other.

"What do you suggest we do, Rud? Politely ask the dementors if we can pretty please get out? Yeah, they'll like us _so_ much that they'll give us a kiss," said Bellatrix sarcastically.

Rudolphus narrowed his eyes. "There's ways to get out of here, you know," he whispered.

"Oh really? How? Maybe my fairy godmother will come and save the day…"

"I'm serious, Bellatrix!"

"Fine, give me this damned plot of yours," she sighed.

"I don't have one yet."

"Well then why did you bloody tell me that you had one?" asked Bellatrix, exasperated.

"I didn't specifically tell you I had one, just implied that I had a plan. There are knives. You know, the ones that they give us for…"

"Are you serious?"

"Well, then, do you have another inspiration?"

This shut Bellatrix up. "Go on," she said lazily.

"We collect the knives and dig a hole through the floor."

Bellatrix laughed a bit eccentrically. "Are you kidding? This floor is almost damn near impenetrable! There's no way!"

"Just a thought. And it's the only plan we've got. Besides, I don't really want to stay here for another two months, do you?"

On Christmas morning, Andie awoke early and wandered downstairs to find Ted already there.

"What are you doing up so early, Head Boy?"

"I had a few errands to run," he replied softly.

"On Christmas Day?"

"It was the only time I could see my mother."

"You saw your mother?"

"It's Christmas! And I told her I'd spend Christmas here, with you, and she got all upset…and…yeah. It was a bit odd. So, I told her I'd visit her today for a few hours. And my dad's dead now, so it'll be her first Christmas without him for over thirty years."

"I never thought about it that way."

"You've got some presents."

"Do I?"

"Well, more like one. It's all I could afford this year."

"That's okay. I could only get you one, too."

They both reached underneath the indigo couch and pulled out two black boxes; one with a red ribbon, one with a green one. Andie and Ted stared at each other for a few minutes.

"We should open them at the same time," they said together.

Inside Andie's box, was a tiny gold ring with three diamonds set in the middle of it. "I've owed you one of those for a long time, but I never got around to doing it. So now, you have one, and other guys won't be asking you if you're single and if you're still my fiancé."

Andie just sat there. "Are you okay? I mean…do you like it? Because if you don't I could just, you know, take it back or exchange it for something you do like…"

"I love you," she said simply. "But, do I have to slip it on myself? Or are you going to get down on one knee like you're proposing and do it for me?"

Ted grinned. "I had a feeling you'd say that."

He got down on one knee and slipped the ring on her finger. "Thanks. Now open yours," she said, smiling.

"Whoa! A gold watch! Thanks!"

"Now can I snog you senseless?" demanded Andie.

"Hey! I'm supposed to ask you that!"

"Well then, can we snog each other senseless?"

Ted grabbed her arm and gently pulled her to him, kissing her gently first. He paused before going on. "That a good start?"

"Do you really need an answer?" she replied softly, kissing him again.

"I really don't."


End file.
